Heroes Crusade: End of All Hope
by Demenior
Summary: The battles are getting more deadly and closer to home. When the heroes suddenly find themselves abandoned, they must fight the past to save the present and change the dim future before them, while everyone and everything tries to tear them apart.
1. The Begining

Heroes Crusade: End of All Hope

Most characters kidnapped from: Class of the Titans

The rest are here from: My own mind and other places as will be noted in the future

Disclaimer: I don't own Class of the Titans

Warning: Blood, Disturbing Scenes, Character Death, Crude Humor, Suggestive Scenes, Mild use of Alcohol, Mild Language, (Hopefully) Mind-Blowing Plot Twists. Dramatic scenes may prove a choking hazard to avid readers. Keep out of reach of copy-cats.

Authors Note: This story here is my pride and joy. I've been planning it for a long time now, and I've tried to make as "Wow! No way!" as possible. I'm also going to kill myself keeping the characters in character and still move the plot along, and keep it interesting.

This first part can be from any character of the main sevens' point of view (POV). So sit back, and I hope you enjoy it!

Story Notes:

"Talking"

_Thinking_

//Phones/ walkie-talkies/ pmr's/ earpieces basically just mechanical devices//

_-_Thought speech_-_

00oo00oo scene/time/POV change

". . ." separation from story and authors notes

I will begin with this confession: whatever I have done in the course of my life, whether it be good or evil, has been done freely; I am a free agent.  
-Giacomo Casanova

**The Beginning**

_"I'm_ _not sure why I'm telling you this, because I'm not to sure if my story is true or not. I suggest you keep your mind open and hold your comments to yourself, because you'll find out what happens soon enough, and your opinion won't change anything. It is a long story, so I suggest you have something to drink, but no food. I don't want you to throw up halfway through and ruin the tension._

_We did what we could in the situations I'm going to tell you about, sometimes what we did right was wrong and what we did wrong was right. So a lot of the time we messed up when we succeeded and succeeded when we messed up. Not all of our decisions were great, and there are a lot that I'm not very proud of, but they helped us come to the final act and so maybe everything we did was right, even when it was wrong. I don't know, I'm just proposing the thought. _

_Could I have had better friends for this whole episode? No, I don't think so. It was their action and thoughts that saved our lives, even if it meant they'd lose their own. Not one person could have achieved what we did on their own; it had to be a group effort._

_Were we helpful and tightly-knit the whole time? If we were, I'd know that the whole battle wasn't real. We had our quarrels, our spells of 'who's in' and 'who's out' of the know-how. We had our secrets, we had our loses, we had betrayals and shifts in power. Like I've said, not everything went right for us, but then again, by going wrong maybe it was right?_

_I do think we've all matured far beyond our years, maybe more than any mortal. Yet all our changes might not have been for the better. It's so hard to trust, to laugh, to relax. I finally understood the whole pressure of looking after the world and knowing we were the only ones in the way of utter destruction. _

_No, I don't think we were ever truly on our own. Whether in spirit or in flesh, there was always at least one ally with us. In fact, most of the time the world was with us. Our enemies were fierce, and lots of blood was spilled and we lost many people whom we should have- could have- saved. Many of the spilled blood and bodies weren't just humans; I slit the throats of traitors and laid the final blows on the beasts who were against us. Their faces and voices still follow me in sleep and awareness, and for that I think I'm glad. It helps you remain as close to human as you can when you have those nightmares. _

_Oh, it's not that we think of ourselves as better, or a stronger breed of humans. That would be foolish. We just know more, we've seen more, we've felt more. I guess it's easiest to say we're a more experienced group of humans. _

_Sorry to keep rambling on, I guess memories just have a way of captivating you, don't they? Now, once again I will repeat, I want your minds cleared and your ears attentive. You may not like what I have to say, or you may like it too much, but I swear every bit of this story is true and once again, your opinions won't change the fact that it has already happened. _

_Many parts will seem too fantastic to believe and others may seem like it is a classic fairytale, and it is neither. The truth is all I have to give to you, and so let me tell you everything that had already happened to us._

_You see, deep beneath the earth or high above it, or on a different plane than us, there is a place called Tartarus. In Tartarus is the darkest prison to exist, and one of the prisoners there was a Titan. He freed himself from that place on a New Years Eve like many others, freezing time just long enough to slip out unnoticed. But it was noticed- by those chosen to defeat him. _

_Seven young, hormonal, talented, good-natured, good-looking, immature and altogether socially inadequate, teenagers. When I say we had bad social skills, I mean horrendously bad. None of us had ever had a truly good friend our entire lives- because we were so good-doing, righteous and firm in our beliefs, we could do no wrong. So we grew up rather isolated, involving ourselves in many means of escape. Modeling, hunting, karate, sailing, body-building, reading and fighting or gizmo's and gadgets were the most obvious. When we first met we were a sorry group indeed._

_Now, back on track, we were the seven chosen to save the world from this Titan, who called himself Cronus. It was the Greek gods themselves that brought us to the City of New Olympia and from there through a portal that would take us to Mt. Olympus. They trained us, had us live together in a small little Brownstone house of fond memories and lots of laughter._

_It was the first time I'd gotten along so well with a person, more than one actually because there were six others. We went on lots of crazy missions, had great times together and banded together into an inseparable force. I've never been closer to anyone, even my family I'm afraid to say._

_Now, like I said, it's not like we were perfect. We had a lot of fights and arguments, mostly over stupid things, but in the end we came back together for the greater good._

_So, anyways, there we were. Seven children against millennia's of cruelty and evil. We were the only ones who could stop him because we were the chosen descendants of seven of Greece's greatest heroes: Jason, Theseus, Hercules, Narcissus, Atalanta, Achilles and Odysseus. I think we'd all been preparing for this battle, unconsciously of course, but we were so prepared for it, and we adapted so easily. It was simply amazing. _

_Now, this little battle started off as such. Little. We hardly had to fight, and when we did, it took only a day to defeat the newest monster Cronus had unleashed upon the city. But as time wore one (actually, over the course of a year we had roughly about twenty-some missions) our tasks were becoming harder, more deadly, more time-consuming and a lot closer to home. You see, while we were sitting on our little bums at the Brownstone, Cronus was doing everything in his power to track us down. _

_Eventually it came to the point where we always had to watch our backs. People we went to school with had suddenly turned out to be our enemies, and even strangers tried to attack us in the name of Cronus. It wasn't safe to be outside anymore, it wasn't safe anywhere anymore._

_So there, that brings us up to date on how this whole story started. Allow me to tell it to you now, from the beginning." _

The city stood like monument to humanities achievements. Towering higher and higher until the tops of the buildings brushed the skies and they had to move the stars to make more room. People were blind. They didn't even realize the clicking and shuffling of a second, third, fourth pair of feet; supernatural creatures, only a select few took the time to notice. Even though it was early in the morn, horns sounded, the ruckus of many voices speaking sounded through the stone labyrinth. Many persons unfortunate enough to have to walk were carrying umbrellas with them; light raincoats to shield them and their briefcases, clutched tightly against their breast for security and protection from the outside.

A man wandered up to a newspaper stand. With the taste of coffee still strong on his lips and the reek of cigars stronger still on his clothes, bloodshot eyes ran over the various articles. Teenaged troubles, advertisements, and very little actually truth were subject to his gaze, before he selected one. In a lazy manor, he slapped the payment down on the counter, as he glanced at his purchase, one look causing him to laugh. The headline ran:

"A connection between the gangs and the monster attacks! What'll they come up with next?" he was still laughing to himself as he trotted away, leaving the clerk skimming over the headlines again.

The man made his way through the streets, pushing and shoving and ducking under umbrellas. Annoyed, he pushes another faceless person aside with a grunt, freeing up some room for himself. He ducked into an alleyway before the space around him filled again. Now that he was out, he made good time getting and back towards his apartment. Just as he was passing the high school, where all those stupid teenagers got their education, he heard something akin to a loud clang. Curiously, he wondered if some kids were vandalizing the place. About to cross the street to get a better look, the man was given the shock of his life when the roof opened and a large, yellow-grey jet rose up and out, and with a strong gust of wind, shot into the clouds and disappeared from view.

Too astonished to speak, the man didn't bother retrieving his toupee from the gutter.

"They sure as hell didn't have that when I went to school!"

00oo00oo

//How's it looking guys?// Jay pressed a finger to his ear, pretending to be playing with the gold loop in his ear he'd received a few weeks ago, when he was actually re-adjusting the minute earpiece to get a better reception over the din of voices.

//Clear so far, I think Cronus is going to let us have some time to relax today// Odie informed him. The young man was sitting calmly in the receptions area, playing the part of the greeting committee and just doing some work on his lap top. Work, that, for once only involved keeping track of his friends and making sure all of them stayed in one piece.

//Well, that means that we'll be fighting harder later. We can't let our guard down, that siren that almost got Herry yesterday will probably be back for more blood// Jay replied with a sigh. For a moment he thought about contacting Herry just to see how the big guy was faring after that nasty slash he'd gotten last night, but then felt eyes on him and knew he shouldn't try to contact anyone for the moment.

//Roger that, Cap'in// he heard Neil reply, after a moment he also heard a reply from Atlanta and a bit of an embarrassed grunt from Herry. They seemed to all be fine, but Jay still felt the eyes on him, and he hated that feeling.

It was worse than getting sick in the summer and being confined to bed all day, or having the clouds move in on the day you were finally going to go out sailing. Jay shivered and decided to do something against his stalker.

Jay maneuvered through the crowd and gingerly picked up a newspaper from the stand. A hand fell on his and sprang back in surprise. Jay looked up and came face-to-face with a fair-skinned, black-eyed, blonde-haired, tall, athletic girl. She smiled apologetically at him,

"So'y" she said, a distinct accent flooding her words, "Ah am jus' so new t' ev'ry'sing 'ere, so ve'y confusing." She blinked at him from under thick eyelashes.

Jay smiled, a convincing smile that would warm the hearts of any person, "No problem. Are you visiting here?"

She nodded meekly, almost completely unfazed by his kindness, "Yes, b'aut, I s'ink Ah 'ave gott'en off at 'da wrong stop."

"Oh, anything I can do to help?" Jay asked. He couldn't just leave this poor woman wandering around and not knowing what she was doing or where she was going.

"V'ell… eef y'o could 'elp me vi'z finding my te'minal, dat vould be vonderful," she blushed slightly, not enjoying having to take him out of his schedule.

"Alright then, I'll do my best to help. Where's your boarding ticket?" Jay asked, briefly checking the time. Archie and Theresa would be arriving in a few minutes. He had time, and besides, she _was_ very pretty.

"Oh dea'! I 'ave not gotten 'von yet! Ah am so so'y!" She exclaimed. Jay chuckled and calmly rested a hand on her shoulder, sliding it slowly down her arm. He didn't miss the brief smirk that flashed across her too-perfect features.

"It's okay, let's go get your boarding tickets and from there I'll get you on that flight."

"Oh s'ank you, s'ank you!" she nodded, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug. Jay felt himself blush. Quick as lightning, she grabbed his hand tightly and led him to the front desks.

Guys Jay fingered the golden hoop again as he was pulled along //I've got a harpy. We're headed to the front desks, keep on guard//

00oo00oo

Odie furrowed his brow. Jay had 'accidentally' bumped into a harpy. That meant Cronus planning on having _something_ happen here. At an airport of all places, where security was insanely tight and every little action could be watched? It meant that if they were drawn into an open battle, the police would be able to get their descriptions very easily. He glanced around, surveying all of the cameras in the room. Too many to really count, but enough to get most, if not all, angles and watch everyone. The thought crossed his mind that he might be able to find if Cronus was in the building if he hacked into the system, but if anyone, the terminal staff would find a hacker and they'd stop him immediately.

Odie looked up as he heard a sharp _ding_ overhead.

"_Flight 209 from London, England, has landed. Passengers will be disembarking shortly"_

Good, they were right on time.

Everyone catch that? The plane landed. If Cronus wants to cause some trouble he'd better act now Odie grinned as he spoke.

He went to fold up his laptop, preparing to meet Archie and Theresa as they landed, and grinning like he'd won the lottery. There was a distinct skip in his step as he thought over all the worry this mission had brought, but everything had gone according to plan, everything was going to go smoothly and they weren't going to be fighting for their lives (again) and… no. No way!

Odie slowed to a stop as he saw the man in black, sitting on a chair near the entrance where the passengers entered. He could've passed as a father, or older uncle, waiting to pick up his relatives and spirit them away to create warm, fond memories. Yet the smile on his face was not sincere enough to pass as joy and elation, no, it was bloodlust and malice. Poppy-red eyes captured small brown ones and the man in black smiled cunningly.

Odie instinctively opened his mouth as his hand reached for his ear to contact the others, but Cronus's smirk didn't fade. 'Go on' the Titan mouthed, eyes gleaming with anticipation and the quiet tapping of his foot signaled his impatience. With a gulp, Odie finished his movement to his head and brushed back some non-existent hairs from over his ear, not touching the earpiece, and dropped his arm to his side. He set his lips in a thin line and strode forwards and sat down beside his arch nemesis.

"So you're all here to greet your friends?" Cronus said calmly. Odie smiled inwardly at the slightest hint of confusion in Cronus's voice, his move hadn't been thought of in the Titan's planning.

"Yeah, we can't wait to get them back; it's been lonely without them," Odie replied, just as calmly. He was careful on what he said, knowing all too well Cronus could turn and lash out at him with a scythe at any given moment. If it came to that, Odie only hoped his friends would be able to reach him in time.

"I would think so. Still, I would have thought more friends would show up to greet them, I know everyone I asked arrived," Cronus neatly folded his hands in his lap, surveying the scene with a bored look. His ancient eyes crinkled up as his sneer widened, and the tapping of his foot increased. Odie noticed the slight twitch in his hands- he was anxious. He was ready to strike at any second.

Odie allowed himself to look over the crowds. A man sitting across the isle in a comfortable tan suit, reading a paper all by himself looked over the top and smirked at him. Two laughing women by the water fountain, voices like water gurgling down a stream, cast a spiteful glance in his direction with sharp-fanged snarls. A young teen sitting outside the bathroom coughed loudly, covering up the faint word 'trapped'.

As the stewardess passed by, to open the doors so that the passengers from the plane could get off, she stopped in front of them. Briefly Odie wondered how it looked, a rather tall, pale man in black and a small, dark-skinned boy sitting together having what looked like a comfortable chat. Then, she flashed Odie a dark smile with brilliantly white teeth and went to open the door.

Mentally, Odie kicked himself.

"Well, we brought all we could and I bet they'll be happy to see us," the descendant hero said slowly.

There was a stretch of silence between them, each waiting for the passengers to come, for entirely opposite reasons. Odie could hear a consistent tick of a non-existent clock in his ear. It was like a spy movie where you had to cut the red wire- or was it the green wire? - before time ran out and the world was destroyed. Now, he had those scissors somewhere, he had to find them, and also discover the weakest point in this wire, if it was the right one.

"It seems that other matters have come to my attention, Small One, we will have to meet again when you are my personal attendant," Cronus explained curtly, rising to his feet and lightly dusting himself off as if Odie had left some remnants of something unwanted upon his clothing, "farewell, or, fare _badly_," and he was off, head held high and hands clasped behind his back.

Odie narrowed his eyes and watched Cronus stroll away.

Red wire, green wire, blue wire, yellow wire? Which one is he? Where is the wire I need to cut? He heard the faint sound of muffled voices and saw the passengers coming off. His eyes darted to the open door, with the stewardess standing stock-still and waiting. There was a flash of sharp metal in her hand and she cast a glance in his direction, giving him a taunting smile. His grip on his laptop tightened.

Green wire?

Among the passengers, he finally spotted the familiar flashes of violet and orange hair. His heartbeat quickened as he saw the stewardess tense up. Archie and Theresa had no idea how bad it had gotten while they were gone, they wouldn't be expecting an attack as they stepped through the door. He only had one chance to save them.

No, _red _wire

Odie sprang to his feet, the man across from him jumped up to grab him and Odie hurled his laptop as far as he could. The stewardess sprang back a step, but he wasn't really aiming at her. The laptop hit the plexiglass as he ducked under the man's swing.

Screams and shouts, along with familiar curses that Odie had almost no doubt were Archie's, followed as he bellowed a loud order, flicking on his earpiece to make sure everyone heard his order.

//" Run! "//

Archie and Theresa came hurtling through the doorway in record time, along with many panicked travelers, the stewardess tried to lunge at them with her large knife slipping out from under her sleeve, but with their adrenaline already pumping through their bodies, Archie and Theresa reacted lightning-fast. They ducked under her swing and Theresa kicked out and caught the woman in the stomach. The stewardess (which Odie assumed was another harpy in disguise) crumpled to the floor holding her midriff in pain.

Archie was first to reach Odie, and before he even said hello he'd already barreled into the man, throwing both of them to the floor where they continued to thrash and roll. Theresa leapt in and lashed out at the two women, hitting them both in the chest with a fist and a foot.

"Thank you!" Odie cheered.

"You're very welcome, Squirt," Theresa shot back over her shoulder.

Right about this time, among the screaming people who had no real idea of what was going on, Odie heard a shout and something smashing- loudly. Looking up he saw the teenager sprawled under several overturned chairs with Herry, clutching his shoulder painfully, standing nearby. He almost raised his voice to warn Herry about the security guard behind him, ready to use the club in a deadly manner, but a flash of green, tan and red slammed into the false guard in the same fashion Archie had taken the man to the ground seconds earlier. They obviously spent too much time together.

Said purple-haired teen was now helping Theresa finish off the two women who had tried to silence Odie, though Archie didn't look especially happy about hitting women, he looked happy enough being in a real fight. Now that he wasn't exactly dodging blows, Odie looked around for Cronus, but couldn't see him through the running masses.

"Let's go!" Atlanta called, ushering Herry to the front door. Odie gritted his teeth as he saw the tell-tale splash of dark on Herry's shoulder that meant his wound had re-opened. Stupid, stupid ambushing harpy. The small teen decided right then and there that he'd slit that harpy's throat, just for Herry.

Odie, Archie and Theresa quickly caught up with Herry and Atlanta. No one said hello as they pushed their way through the crowds, those greetings had to be saved for later. A loud inhuman yet recognizably female shriek made them all wince as they neared the entrance.

Gasps and shouts of astonishment, as well as screams of panic, came from the ring that had formed around one of the front desks. It parted quickly as a boy, yellow and purple polo shirt spotted with blood, and wielding a stained sword, ran through. The doors were already coming to a stop, real security guards storming in, all with guns or tasers.

"Let's go 'Lan!" Archie called, almost enjoying this mess. Atlanta grinned wolfishly and the two of them dashed forwards, towards the (now locked) revolving glass doors, and threw themselves right through the glass in a big, shattering, spectacular display. The glass sharps flew through the air and refracted the light and right into the eyes of the men ready to shoot them. Jay was first through the gaping holes Archie and Atlanta had left in their wake, the others right on his heels.

Odie briefly remembered hearing an unknown voice shout 'stop' as he ran through the broken doors, before the loud blasts of gunfire consumed his sense of hearing. An extra burst of adrenaline helped him escape the first round of bullets.

A thunderous humming was barely audible over the bullets whizzing through the air, but as it drew closer even the gunfire stopped so the men could watch the massive black and yellow aircraft descend out of the sky. Odie felt a wave of success pass over him at the thought of the cloaking devices he'd spent nights slaving over had worked and no one had detected the hover jet. Hair flew back like kites and Herry unconsciously placed a hand on Odie's shoulder to make sure he didn't go flying away, while the lower flaps opened and a short plank touched the ground. Theresa grinned and waved back at Neil who was in the pilot's seat, in full, good-looking gear too! With much pushing and shoving, they sardine-packed their way into the storage compartment in a matter of seconds as the lucky blonde pulled away into the air, whooping and cheering himself on.

"Well," Jay panted slowly, looking in the general direction Archie and Theresa had been packed into, since with the doors closed it was rather dark, but in the faint light they could still see the grin of a man who was proud of what he'd done, but not trying to show it on his face, all too well, "welcome home."

So there we go, any additions to a character or characterizations are merely how I interpret them, so they might not be the same as you like/are used too, but live with me.

And wow, that was one humdinger of a chapter, no? Anyways, I think I'm going to have a lot of fun writing this, and before I write anything else, I just really hope no one else stumbles onto many of the ideas I have for this first, and if they do I didn't (mean to) copy them, and I bet it goes vice-versa (I hope).

I'm attempting to keep this original, possibly throw in a myth or two into it, and keep characters in character. So if Jay doesn't seem too stuck-up to you, and he's being normal by getting a piercing, too bad! I have my reasons, and you'll just have to find out about them later.

Regardless, feedback would be wonderful and I'll try to update soon!

* * *

_Now listen up, guys. This chapter was going to be held until I'd finished most, if not all, of the story, but I need some help. You see, comming up I'll need a whole shwak of characters, original, for the war. If you'd like your character to be part of this, then fill out the following questionaire and send it to me via** SEND MESSAGE** on my **PROFILE**. **NOT IN A REVIEW PLEASE**_

You must understand though, these are **BACKGROUND CHARACTERS**, and **WILL NOT** be very involved with the main seven characters and **WILL NOT** get any special attention.

For now let's keep it to one character per person, okay?

**Please take the time to completely fill out this questionnaire. The better you do the better I can portray your character how you see them. There is no limit to how much you can write, just make sure I can understand your character. None should be any sort of superman, and should be a descendant of an ancient **Heronot a god**if there are any heroes descended from gods, I will completely ignore them and not use them. If a question does not pertain to your hero, then give me a brief sentence saying 'why'. **

**Ancestor: **

**Ancestor's parents (you should be able to find them): **

**What did their ancestor do to become a hero?: **

**What traits (strengths and flaws) has your hero received from their ancestor?: **

**What is your hero's name?: **

**Boy/Girl?: **

**Physical Description (answer the questions that follow. If it does not apply to your character do not answer it. Be as thorough as you can so I can get a good grasp of your character): **

**Skin tone- **

**Nationality- **

**Eyes- **

**Hair- **

**Height (not exact height. Small, average, tall, extra tall)- **

**Body Type (heavy, slim, skinny, a tad of belly fat, etc.)- **

**Distinctive markings? (Tattoo's, scars, birthmarks)- **

**Character quirks (accents, plays with hair when nervous, has a lisp, anything a little quirky. Please not 'she is hyper all the time' or 'he likes to brood by himself over his parent's death' make it original, these are supposed to be real people)- **

**Personality (how they generally act on a day-to-day basis): **

**Relationship interest (single, in a relationship, or not looking; before the war): **

**Relationship type (flirty, soul-mate, doesn't believe in marriage, waiting for marriage, etc): **

**Do other characters, overall, find your character attractive? Physically or for what's inside? (Sexy, good-looking, pleasant, 'ify', irritating, unpleasant, or hideous): **

**How does your character view themselves, in regards to the previous question?: **

**Religion (I will not be insulting/degrading any religion as all are free to their own minds and choices): **

**Weapons of choice (or maybe they cook, rather than fight, or clean. If so, please say that and then when they prefer to do in those situations. Also remember their weapon of choice should somewhat relate to their ancestor): **

**Battle Strategy (are they aggressive and in-your-face like Atlanta, or maybe they hang back a little like Odie, waiting for the moment to strike. Remember what weapon they use and how this will affect their fighting) **

**Likes (**short but sweet**, please): **

**Dislikes (fears, phobias, general dislikes. **Short but sweet)

**Flaws (there should be a fairly good list- like they are quick to anger, or maybe they can be very lazy, or not good at taking orders): **

**Strength (should have a few, but don't make your character 'perfect'. Their flaws, unless they're more of an antagonist, shouldn't outweigh their strengths, most of the time): **

**Brief History (What kind of childhood, briefly, and how that has made your character who they are today): **

**Does your character not like any of the actual characters from the show? (Think broadly, from every villain, ally, god and hero that has been on the show. They may or may not show up but it would be good to know if your character does not like them. Please note you should have at least one name, Cronus, here, even if your character has never met the character they do not like, list the character): **

**Do I have permission to kill your character? (If no, please tell me how far I may injure your character. If they cannot be harmed, I will not use them. This is war, there will be bumps and scrapes): **

**Do I have permission to have your character insulted? (This would mean one character not liking your character or having personality issues with your character, making them opposite forces. This will not be character bashing of any sort): **

**Do I have permission to involve your character in a relationship with another Original Hero? (This is to add an element of reality in to the story, as many teenagers cramped into a small unit, and with so many hormones it is extremely likely for most to become involved in some sort of relationship): **

**Do I have permission to possibly make your character betray the other heroes and join an opposing army?: **

**Your _Username_ so I can credit you/alert you if your character has appeared in a chapter: **

If you took the time to help me out, I really, really appreciate it!

Demenior


	2. The Pact

Heroes Crusade: End of All Hope

Most characters fan-napped from: Class of the Titans

The rest are here from: My own mind and other places as will be noted in the future

Disclaimer: I don't own Class of the Titans

Warning: Blood, Disturbing Scenes, Character Death, Crude Humor, Suggestive Scenes, Mild use of Alcohol, Mild Language, (Hopefully) Mind-Blowing Plot Twists. Dramatic scenes may prove a choking hazard to avid readers. Keep out of reach of copy-cats.

Authors Note: Welcome back- it's chapter numbero two. We get an understanding of what's been going on lately for the gang, and why Archie and Theresa were gone on a trip _together. _Also, for more information about the 'New Descendants' I'm acepting for this story, please read the endnote at the end of the chapter.

Also, here are the names I use for the group:

Theresa Anne Starling (Her common nickname, Therri, is pronounced 'Terry'. The spelling is to remain constant with 'Theresa' and 'Theseus')

Archibald Eric Storm (Archie)

Jayson Leroy Heartmen (Jay)

Atlanta Paris Darra

Herbert John Fraser (Herry)

Oded Nathon Olsen (Odie)

Neilson Wilson Denner (Neil)

Story Notes:

"Talking"

_Thinking_

//Phones/ walkie-talkies/ pmr's/ earpieces/ basically just mechanical devices//

_-Thought speech- _

00oo00oo scene/time/POV change

* * *

**Previously:**

Jay, Odie, Neil, Atlanta and Herry preformed a 'pick-up' mission at the airport and got Archie and Theresa home safely. Yet, right near the beginning, Cronus showed up and nearly had the two heroes killed before they could even say hello. After gunfire, fighting, and the slicing of a harpy, they escaped in the hover-jet and headed back to the school…

Every legend, moreover, contains its residuum of truth, and the root function of language is to control the universe by describing it.  
James A. Baldwin

**The Pact**

_"Ring_ _around the rosy!"_

_The children danced in a circle, spinning, twirling and laughing. Their wet shoes lay discarded in a soggy pile nearby and now their socks were stained green._

_"Pocket full of posy!"_

_They all laughed as one boy stumbled, nearly falling into the water-soaked ground, but regained himself fast enough to keep on spinning. While watching, two girls collided in mid-spin and fell to the ground with a big, wet _splat _the other children burst out laughing, not stopping their spinning yet._

"_Ha-sha, ha-sha!"_

_The girls picked themselves up and were trying to wring themselves out, watching the others with partially envious eyes and eyeing each other scornfully, since it was the other's fault they lost. _

"_We all fall…"_

_The boy who had stumbled before fell now, falling into another boy and he fell into a girl, and all three fell to the ground. They all shrieked as they hit the wet ground, soaking instantly and then began yelling at each other for making them mess up._

"_Down!" the last cry from one of the remaining two girls brought their attention back to the contest. Both girls began to spin faster, and faster now, slightly tipsy. A young brunette, whom was the rhyme-singer, and another girl with long hair of a brilliant orange color. The girl with the dark hair was the current champion of the Spinning Game, and now all of the on-lookers were getting dizzy with how fast the two girls were spinning._

_Theresa could hardly see anything, and he eyes hurt a little from how fasts she was spinning, but she was determined to win! She made sure to lift her feet so that they wouldn't trip over each other, and kept her head turned so that her hair didn't get in her eyes. She watched as Marie, the other girl, continued spinning and looked as if she could probably continue on for a whole day! _

_Except Theresa knew she could win, all she needed was for Marie to trip, just to slip a little bit. She watched Marie's feet every time the girl flashed by her vision. Her own feet were already numb and cold and a little sore. Theresa focused more and more on Marie's feet, hoping she would just slip, just enough to fall…_

_Marie suddenly screamed, and Theresa now had her back to the girl, and when she looked back, Marie had fallen and was now all wet. Theresa stopped spinning, stumbling as her head reeled and her brain stopped spinning, and it took her a moment to realize what had happened._

"_I win!" she cheered, leaping up in delight, "I win!"_

_But no one else had joined in. They were still staring at her. One of the boys finally spoke up,_

"_Y-You…"_

"_You're a cheater!" Marie yelled, "you shot me with something! That's not very nice Theresa, apologize now!" Marie had gotten to her feet and stomped a wet foot angrily. _

_Theresa looked at her oddly, "I-I don't know what you mean! I was spinning and you tripped and-"_

"_No!" Marie screamed, "I always win! You can't win because I'm better! You cheated- I saw you!"_

_The boy who had spoken up form earlier spoke again, "Y-yeah, Theresa! You zapped her with like, a ray-gun or somethin'. It was purple and it pushed Marie over!"_

"_No I didn't!" Theresa whirled to face him, "stop making things up- that's lying!"_

"_And pushing me over is cheating!" Marie gave Theresa a shove and the other children came running over._

"_Do the ray again, Theresa, it was cool!"_

"_How come I can't make a ray, Theresa?"_

"_You're a cheater!"_

_They all clambered around, grabbing at her. Theresa cupped her hands over her ears and backed away, shaking her head. There were so many voices; she could hear the parent nearby, speaking loudly as if shouting in her ears. The kids around her were screaming inside her mind. The breeze pushed against her like a man trying to push her down and the sun seemed to be roasting her alive._

"_No more!" she screamed._

_In her minds eye she saw it, a glowing wave of purple that shot out from her and knocked the other kids flying. She saw it shake the trees around them and it hit the adults at their picnic table and even knocked a cup of coffee over. She saw their mouths open in alarm, saw them turn towards where the kids were playing and know something was wrong. She saw the children falling to the ground, crying out on impact and saw Marie fall on her head and then spin, landing facedown and not getting up. _

_The parents came bursting into the clearing seconds later, running to the kids and checking if they were okay. As soon as Marie's mother reached her, worry already forming in her breast, it was confirmed. She screamed loudly and scooped Marie up in her arms, pulling out her cell phone from her pocket and dialing a number hurriedly and running to the road while she talked in a hysterical voice. Theresa nearly giggled at how funny she sounded. All of the other kids were looking worriedly from their parents to Theresa and pointing. No one said anything as their parents picked them up, cradling them to their chests as they hurried home._

_Theresa sat alone, since her father was always too busy to come bring her to the park, and looked at the pile of shoes that no one had bothered to pick up on their hurry to leave. She knew Nurse would come get her eventually, when it got dark probably. Theresa heard loud sirens, like police, in the distance as she got up and decided to practice for when the other kids came back. She started slowly, picking up pace as she sang softly to herself._

"_Ring around the rosy…"_

"Ah, home sweet home!" Theresa sighed thankfully as they quickly entered the Brownstone. She tossed her shoes into the coat closet before dashing into the living room and leaping onto the green couch, lying across the entire length.

"I missed this place," she said aloud, stretching, as the others entered the living room. Archie grabbed Atlanta around the waist and pulled her onto the couch with him, purposely squishing Theresa as he did so. Theresa gave him a good-natured punch in the shoulder and he sat up properly to allow more room.

Neil, Odie and Jay flopped onto the strawberry-striped-white couch while Herry ran upstairs quickly to get a new, clean shirt. There was a shared sigh of relief as they all relaxed, shoulders slumping and sinking back into the furniture, before all eyes were trained on Archie and Theresa.

"So?" Herry asked, returning to the room while pulling on a new (still green) shirt to cover up his fresh bandages, "how'd it go?"

"Well," Theresa said simply, throwing an arm over Archie's shoulders, "you should've seen Mr. Macho here in his suit. He denies it, but he _was_ crying at the ceremony and I'd have to admit he's a fairly good dancer."

Archie had scowled and looked away as everyone sniggered behind their hands at the thought of him in a suit, dancing, or even getting emotional.

"I wasn't crying. I was only trying to comfort her when she nearly fainted in front of everyone out of pure stage fright. And it was not dancing, I was just imitating every one else," he gingerly plucked Theresa's arm off him, taking no notice of the way Atlanta was still draped over him.

"Man," the Hunter said, "I would hang up my bow for the rest of my life to see him in a suit." She gave Archie a good-natured poke in the stomach and he swatted her hand away embarrassedly.

"Lucky for you, I made sure to take lots and lots of pictures and- oh no!" Theresa suddenly leapt to her feet, "the pictures- they're in my bag! We left it at the airport!" Behind her, Archie relaxed further into the couch with a sigh of relief.

"Too bad," Odie muttered, "we can't exactly go back to the airport now, they know our faces there after that whole escapade."

Theresa sat back on the couch, pouting, with her lower lip sticking out and her brows furrowed. Jay couldn't help but smile at this, still covering it behind his hand. He coughed to get rid of the giggles in his gut and then looked at the three on the couch.

"Regardless… the wedding went okay?" he asked.

"You bet!" Theresa cheered, clinging onto Archie before he could even say anything, "we're now, officially, sister and _Little_ brother!"

Neil was the first to clap, followed by the others as Archie tried to hide his embarrassed blush. Atlanta and Theresa both laughed and gave him friendly elbows in the gut for that.

"I guess we'd better tell you guys the new rules, since a lot-"

"And he means a _lot_" Neil cut in.

"-of things have changed while you were gone," Jay smiled calmly as he stood up, "Odie, I'm going to go grab your laptop, 'kay?" Odie nodded and Jay turned to leave when Theresa squealed.

"Jay! When did you get that earring?" she clapped her hands together, excited that he'd actually accepted a dare from her.

Archie suddenly pushed off the coffee table, somersaulting over the back of the couch where he sprang up and stared at Jay, "No way! _Our_ Jay? Mr. We-Must-Defeat-Cronus-At-All-Cost Jay… got a _piercing_! I don't believe it!" he cried, dramatizing the entire situation.

Theresa threw a couch pillow at him, "Oh come off it, _Little_ Brother!" Atlanta giggled at the name and Archie rolled his eyes.

"I'm starving," he announced and headed into the kitchen.

00oo00oo

A few minutes later, Archie, Herry and Neil were eating utterly stuffed sandwiches, and Archie and Theresa were now sitting beside Odie as he opened a folder on his laptop.

"So you see here," Odie began, highlighting some lines, "there has been a tremendous increase in sightings and attacks from Ancient Monsters, and not just towards us, but all over the city. Cronus is pulling out all the stops here and bringing out everyone, and anyone, he can. What we normally have to deal with are Harpies, Werewolves and Sirens, though some Minotaur have been able to fit into a human form. Most are disguised as normal humans, but they can't get rid of their strong accent and are usually _too_ good looking as humans. They tend to hang around, or innocently bump into you and then play it cool until you're all alone, then they'll attack. Unless they have weapons on them, they will usually need to revert to their true form to kill, leaving you with a few seconds to run away and contact us."

"Don't try to fight, whatever you do," Herry cut in, "they'll usually have an ambush waiting." Archie and Theresa's eyes wandered to his wounded shoulder and he answered their unasked question with a quiet nod.

"So because of this," Jay continued in his no-nonsense tone, standing upright with his hands clasped behind his back, "some new rules have been instigated. There is a curfew of ten-thirty at night, exactly. If you're out after that then you're out all night and you'll have to stay away from the Brownstone until morning, when we'll come and find you. The problem is, we will not leave the Brownstone until at least six in the morning, so you're on your own no matter how scared you get."

Archie and Theresa both thought this was a bit harsh and they looked at Jay with questioning eyes, about to ask some variations on the rule.

Jay shook his head before they could speak, "It's really the only way we can all stay safe. And that's what's most important right now, keeping us as alive and safe as possible. So just be home by ten and you'll be fine."

The siblings nodded slowly, it was easy to tell that they would have some trouble getting accustomed to the changes.

"Wow, curfew? That really sucks," Archie muttered. Atlanta shrugged beside him, already used to these new rules,

"Hey… Arch, did you change your last name?"

Archie looked up at the ceiling, thinking, "I… I actually haven't thought about it. Then again, I don't know if I want to be known as 'Mr. Starling' for the rest of my life."

Theresa frowned, "Well, we could just change our name to 'Starling-Storm' if you're that upset."

Archie snorted, "That's a terrible name, who'd want to be called that?"

Neil nudged Herry and nodded to the two, "They already fight like they've been siblings forever." Herry snickered at this, and before he had to explain why he was laughing, Athena waltzed in.

"Sorry, kiddo's, you've had a long day- it's bedtime." She set her hands on her hips, smiling down at them all.

"Can't we just stay up a little longer?" Neil whined, "we, like, just got home and we haven't seen Archie and Theresa in forever!"

The other six nodded quickly in agreement. Under the watch of seven pairs of big, sad, pleading eyes, and knowing that they did hold the future in their hands, Athena gave in.

"Very well, you can all sleep here in the living room and chat a bit more, as long as you aren't up to some ungodly hour of the morning." They all nodded approvingly, grinning up at her. For a moment, it struck her again just how young these children really were, especially compared to beings like herself, or even Cronus. She smiled again at them, then turned to go make some snacks up in the kitchen.

They all ran upstairs to change into their pajama's, and grab all of the bedding off their bed before racing back downstairs to add to the mountain of quilts and pillows in the living room.

Nighttime found all seven lying in a star-like shape, their heads together in the middle while their feet faced outwards. They'd moved the coffee table onto the couch and then pushed both couches away to clear up the space.

"Wish we could look at the stars," Jay mumbled.

"Imagine they're there, Jay, you've got an imagination, eh?" Odie mumbled. Jay grunted in response. They all closed their eyes and imagined lying with their backs in the grass, staring up at the endless skies and the glowing dots of light.

"Look! There's Orion's belt!" Atlanta giggled, pointing at the ceiling, "or is that where Archie tripped and cracked the floor?"

"Ha-ha, you're so funny," Archie commented dryly.

"Looks more like Virgo- no, wait, it's Neil!" Herry chuckled, earning a high-five from Odie.

"You sure? Looks a lot more like Jay- see, it's even got the earring," Neil retorted, making everyone burst into a fit of laughter. Then Athena shushed them from where she was reading in the kitchen and they all fell silent again. A few moments later she poked her head in,

"You want to see the stars?" Jay was first to nod in response, followed by the others.

"It'd be nice to sleep outside," Jay admitted.

Athena shook her head, "You know you can't, but… I am a goddess and this is a god-made dorm, so…" she snaped her fingers and suddenly the livingroom turned into a wide meadow, and they were lying in the center of the long, flowing grass under a full, bright moon. The door to the kitchen remained still, "it'll be gone when you wake up, enjoy this for now," Athena disappeared back into the kitchen and shut off the light so that it was as if they were completely alone.

They all lay back and starred up at the real night sky, Jay, Odie and Atlanta pointed out constellations and explained stories about them, Archie and Neil made their own constellations and made up their own stories, with helpful hints from Herry and Theresa so that they all sounded as smart. After some time they had all fallen silent, wrapped tight in their blankets, heads still together, and were listening to the breeze and the crickets.

"…What do you guys want to do when you grow up if we- when we beat Cronus?" Theresa whispered in the dark.

"Run marathons, travel the world and promote conservational programs," Atlanta mumbled quickly.

"Sail around the world, live on the ocean, and possibly… raise a family," Jay went next, "but… it'd be hard, because I wouldn't be able to stay in one place for long."

"I want to finish collage and university, then go into medical sciences and find cures for things like cancer and AIDS," Odie continued.

"I'm going to continue modeling, and do some fashion designing. I know I'm perfect for the job," Neil proudly told them.

"I'm going to… live on a quiet little farm, outside of the city. I'll have a great wife who can cook really well and I'll have spare rooms so that you can all drop by whenever you want, and we'll have a few kids of our own," Herry said quietly.

"A teacher," Theresa said, "I'll teach little kids and play games with them. You can live on and help manage the ranch, Herry." She and Herry smiled at each other from their cocoons.

Archie was silent before speaking, "I dunno. I can't see me doing much after fighting a huge battle against _the_ Titan of Time. But… probably an athlete, and I'll kick Atlanta's butt in marathons-"

"As if!" Atlanta interjected and attempted to kick him from her quilt-coffin, only managing to try and crush his legs by dropping her own over his.

"…and…" he trailed off, a smile flickering on his lips as he stuck his tongue out at Atlanta.

"What?" everyone asked.

Archie grinned sheepishly, "A freelance writer."

Atlanta laughed and, lifting her legs up, attempted to hurt him again by dropping them, "You dork!" she teased.

"Hey, she asked," Archie snapped, nodding his head in Theresa's general direction.

"Yeah, whatever," Atlanta muttered.

"Let's make a promise," Jay suddenly said, rolling over and propping himself up on his elbows. Everyone turned to look at him, "that no matter what, we'll support each other and be there for each other throughout this battle and afterwards."

The other six were now up on their elbows, their faces nearly cheek-to-cheek in their huddled circle.

"What would we swear by?" Archie asked. Jay looked dumbfounded.

"Something that won't die out, something that will always have significance," Odie pointed out. They were all silent a moment as they thought, looking at the beauty around them and trying to imagine something powerful to swear by.

"Our ancestors? Heroes?" Atlanta asked.

Neil shook his head, "No, something stronger, that didn't die, like… like…"

"Honesty," Herry suddenly whispered, "truth and justice."

"Right then," Theresa nodded, "it sounds good to me." Each of them nodded.

"So what do we say?" Neil asked.

"We swear by the greater virtues in life to remain a family within families," Archie said under his breath.

Jay's eyes lit up, "Wow, that actually sounded really good." Archie looked down embarrassedly, "so on three, guys, and we'll all say it together."

Jay quietly counted to three, and they all recited the pact together, quietly so that Athena wouldn't hear them for they could all admit it was a little embarrassing, but it was said and they all felt a powerful force around them as they curled up to go to sleep, smiles upon their lips.

_We swear by the greater virtues in life to remain a family within families_

* * *

How long can words truly hold a bond? Especially one as strong and as important as this one.

Also, guys, I really want to say thank you for the character's you've created and allowed me to use. The different characters are really interesting and I can't wait to start writing some of them in. So far, I have 5 new heroes from you guys, from the ancestors of: Helen, Penelope, Perseus, Orpeus and Midas.

Some people have expressed intrest in creating another character, so if you'd like to go through the questionaire again, by all means create another character.

If it's not too hard to ask, I'd like to avoid too many descendants from the same ancestor, and please none from the main seven characters, Asclepius or Medea, and I do have reasons for this, so bear with me.

One again I want to say I am very greatful for your support and thank you for reading and reviewing this story.

Demenior


	3. Challenges

Heroes Crusade: End of All Hope

Most characters fan-napped from: Class of the Titans

The rest are here from: My own mind and other places as will be noted in the future

Disclaimer: I don't own Class of the Titans

Warning: Sappy brother-sister bonding moments, teasing, Jay becomes difficult to understand and butchered attempts at humor.

Authors Note: Chapter three. So, reviews would be appreciated. Thank you so much for the help with the characters (**which I'm still accepting more profiles, more then one per person now if you'd **like) Hope you guys enjoy! Also, this ended up as a crazy-long chapter, I apologize. But the plot does pick up here! Read to find out how. Happy New Year!

Story Notes:

"Talking"

_Thinking_

//Phones/ walkie-talkies/ pmr's/ earpieces/ basically just mechanical devices//

-Thought speech-

00oo00oo scene/time/POV change

**Previously:**

Archie and Theresa learned about what was happening in the city, and we also know now that they were away at their parents' wedding- meaning now they're brother and sister. After begging Athena, the entire group of seven got to sleep under the stars and they made a pact between them to always remain a close-knit family, no matter what. Can this remain true with the unknown so close in their future?

* * *

The difference between a hero and a coward is one step sideways.  
Gene Hackman

**Challenges **

_"Ugh," Theresa sighed, sitting down on the green couch. Everyone looked up at her, wanting to know what was so bad._

"_I think my dad's dating a gold-digger," she complained, "I've told him a woman his age just can't be that beautiful but he swears she's not even five years younger."_

"_How do you know she's so pretty if you've never met her?" Odie inquired, the smirk on his face meaning he thought he'd caught Theresa and she was just dramatizing situation._

"_Well," she shot back, "he sent me a few pictures of them together, I'll show you."_

_She got up and ran out of the room, they heard her footsteps echoing up the stairs before the four boys turned to look at each other. They burst out laughing._

"_Well, I wonder just how good a girl has to look at her father's age to make Theresa jealous?" Herry snickered._

"_Jealous? She was fuming, man!" Neil slapped his knee. Jay tried to remain calm, but couldn't help the grin flickering on the corners of his mouth. They all straightened up as they heard Theresa come back down the stairs._

"_See, here she is," Theresa handed the pictures to Odie first. He flipped through them with a skeptical look on his face in the beginning, but his eyes widened more and more as he got to the end and then he handed them off to Herry. The larger teen whistled approvingly, and then handed them to Neil. Neil starred, amazed._

"_I have got to talk to her hairdresser!" he stated. _

_By now Jay was very curious about just what this woman looked like, and nearly snatched the pictures out of Neil's hand. He took a look, saw Theresa's smiling father with his grey-streaked orange hair and bright green eyes, and his own gaze found its way to the woman beside him. Jay's mouth immediately dropped open. _

_She had ivory skin, long red-orange hair, at least more red then Theresa's or her fathers. A long, lean figure, which he had to admit was fairly curvy as well, long lashes over grey-blue eyes and very full, red lips. Overall she screamed of grace and beauty and looked nowhere near Mr. Starling's age, yet there was that little spark of wisdom in her eyes that gave away the fact that she wasn't as young as she looked. _

"_Well, uh, she's very pretty," Jay nervously ran a hand through his hair. Theresa fixed him with a stern glare and he immediately dropped his eyes._

"_So, now do you see why I think she's just after my dad's money? From the letters he's sent it appears she's also rather poor." Theresa had her arms folded across her chest and was standing over Odie, pouting and still glaring daggers at them. _

"_Well, as much as I hate to say it, I'd have to agree," Neil shrugged, "but when they break up, she can come live with us, okay?" he gave Theresa a playful wink which she did not return. Neil saved his dignity but ignoring her and picking up his newspaper again. Odie, Herry and Jay nodded quietly, to appease Theresa's wrath. _

_Just then the door burst open and Archie and Atlanta dragged themselves in. They both looked weary and had dark rings under their eyes, their hair was a mess and their clothes had grass stains and little bits of, what was hopefully, dirt all over them. Atlanta flopped down beside Jay while Archie sat beside Herry._

"_What have you two been up to?" Herry grinned. Archie flicked some dirt in his direction._

"_Very funny," he commented, "but not what you're implying. It's all because of the crazy golden bird."_

_Atlanta's loud snort had them all looking at her, and she explained while picking straw out of her hair, "Well, you should've seen it. Lucky is absolutely sure that Archie's ankle brace is it's mother and where ever Archie goes, it goes and whatever Archie does, it does. But what we've found is that young Stymphalian Birds like to, in general terms, teethe on their parents' wings or tail fathers, so you can imagine…"_

_This caused a chorus of laughter from all of them, imagining the scenario. Atlanta happened to notice the photo's in Jay's hand and snatched them up._

"_Hey, Theresa, is this that woman that you dad's dating?" she asked, "because I see what you mean by a gold-digger, but she is very pretty."_

"_I agree with that!" Herry called from the other couch. _

_Archie looked up at this, "Let me see those," he got up and snatched the photos out of Atlanta's hands. Almost immediately Archie's brow furrowed and he frowned at the pictures._

"_So you agree too?" Theresa asked, "she's obviously out for my dad's money."_

_Archie glared over at her, "So this bozo's your dad?" he snapped. Theresa immediately went rigid._

"_Yes, that is," she spat back, "why?"_

"_Because," Archie looked back at the pictures, his already-pale skin whitening further as he shuddered slightly, "because that woman is my mom!"_

_Theresa suddenly became very pale and her anger vanished, "B-but that means… they're dating and…" abruptly she faltered and grabbed onto the chair Odie was sitting in, horrified at the revelation._

_Archie seemed to loose all of his anger in a second as well, "oh god…" he swore, staring at the photos. _

"_Well… I guess we can trust that she's good for your dad now," Neil cut in. Archie immediately straightened, remembering what the others had been saying about his mother._

_Since they knew just how protective Archie was of his mother, and had seen what he'd done to kids who insulted his mother, all of the kids quickly exited the room in a frightened stampede with Archie close behind._

Morning came and stung dream-veiled eyes as he was pulled from the depths of the fantasy and into the reality. Herry let out a soft moan, turning and pressing his face into Neil's back to try and block out the light. The model grunted softly, murmuring something about too many lasagna-goblins, and continued sleeping. The living image of perfect looks had his knees covered by a mop of dark brown hair and chocolate skin. On his stomach was the near-buried head of Jay, under a wave of orange hair. Archie was lying across both Fighter and Leader, while Atlanta was belly-down perpendicular on him. They were still sleeping, even as Athena forgot to turn off the flash on the camera and ushered Hera, Apollo, Artemis and Hermes in to see the adorable bundle of mortals.

Odie let out a moan as he sat up, stretching his arms high in the air while he sat up. His sleep-laden eyes blinked awake, surprisingly not bothered by the mild light floating in through the window. He rubbed his eyes, still blinking, and looked around. It took him a few seconds to remember sleeping in the living room, and ending up under the stars. But when had he ended up using Neil as a pillow? He heard a muffled sound, as Jay woke up nearly smothered by Theresa's hair. Said psychic also woke up, sitting up and realizing her step-brother was lying across her, pushed him off and took in a much-needed breath of air. Archie grunted, muttering something, before pulling one of the pillows, kicked to their feet in their sleep-moving, over his head and appeared to go back to sleep. Atlanta, who'd happened to be sleeping across Archie's stomach, had been pushed over and hadn't yet been called by the morning and went back to sleep, curled around Archie.

Herry and Neil were propping themselves up, and were also looking around, trying to remember anything of ending up so clumped and mushed together with everyone else. Odie met their eyes and the three of them broke into a fit of giggles at the human-spaghetti situation. Theresa yawned and lay down with her head on Jay's shoulder. Odie pulled away from the two and Jay grunted sleepily as he lost his pillow. This only excited Herry and Neil's consistent snickers. One of the pillows appeared to glow with a violet aura and flew at the three boys, Odie narrowly ducked and by mere chance it happened to miss Neil and slam into Herry's face.

"Not fair, Therri!" he cried.

"Yeah, don't be such a bum when you're cuddling Jay-Jay-poo," Neil teased. He then proceeded to jump up and run for cover as Theresa pulled herself to her feet and ran after him.

Jay sat up, blinking tiredly, "Dang," he said, "she was warm." Herry laughed and threw the pillow at him. Jay caught the pillow and threw it back at him and rolled to the side before Herry could throw it back. Odie quickly got up and went into the kitchen, stepping lightly over Archie and Atlanta, before he got caught up in the fight.

Jay propelled himself backwards as Herry swung the pillow at him. It narrowly missed his shoulder and he rolled back and landed on his feet. Herry jumped up to get him, pillow in each hand, and Jay turned to run but tripped over a battered, brown teddy-shaped lump and fell onto the blankets. With a cheer of tag-team victory Herry grabbed Jay around the neck and gave him sharp pokes in the side.

Oh, what a surprise it had been to all of them to find out that Jay was exceptionally ticklish, and rather sensitive in his sides. It had happened a while back when Jay had fallen into a Leadership rut and Theresa, to try and cheer him up, was talking to him and gave him a poke in the side for emphasis on whatever she was saying, and to her astonishment, Jay had giggled. They'd wound up in a ball of tangled limbs, Jay's face wet from laughing so hard, and both of them breathless.

Herry kept Jay in a headlock and continued poking and tickling Jay relentlessly, while the lither boy struggled and thrashed, laughing uncontrollably the entire time. Herry pulled his hand away, still keeping his grip around Jay's neck,

"Had enough, young one?" Herry taunted.

"In your dreams, Old man," Jay shot back in the same tone.

The Leader coiled his legs up underneath himself and pushed forwards, sending both him and Herry into a roll. Jay ducked out of Herry's grasp and the two wrestled across the floor. A sudden shout as they rolled over two bodies stopped them. Their pause cost them, because then a rather enraged and embarrassed Archie and Atlanta attacked.

Herry's breath was knocked out of him as Atlanta tackled him in the gut, and Archie barreled into Jay's shoulder. The squirming ball of limbs and laughs tumbled across the living room.

00oo00oo

Odie pulled out a chair and sat down at the table, tucking the napkin politely into his lap and marveled again at how lucky they were. He sniffed the aroma in the air and his mouth watered,

"You really do spoil us, Athena," he grinned.

Said goddess was working at the oven, frying bacon and pancakes. She turned and smiled at him, grey eyes bright and merry. Athena nodded to the kitchen as she flipped a pancake on her sword, "What's going on in there?"

Odie shrugged, "Jay and Herry were just play-fighting, but it seems they've gotten Archie and Atlanta involved too." Athena nodded and went back to her cooking, when a loud crash was heard from the living room. Both descendant and immortal stopped when they were doing and ran into the other room.

"By the Thunderbolt! What's going on in there?" Athena cried.

00oo00oo

Herry was nursing his shoulder, Jay had a bleeding nose and cut lip, Archie had an ice pack for his head, Atlanta was still gasping and attempting to inflate from being crushed by the three boys and Neil was trying to fix his hair after Theresa had shook him around a bit. Theresa had glittery green nail polish speckled across her face after the friendly spat between her and Neil had gotten ugly. Odie was making faces at the six of them from behind Athena, who was issuing her motherly scolding.

"…and furthermore, if you insist upon creating all these fights in this household- you will be sleeping at the school under constant supervision from myself and the other gods and goddesses!"

"Yes Miss Athena!" came the respond from all of them. Odie couldn't help but snicker at them, which he tried to cover up with his hand. Herry suddenly lifted his head and sniffed the air,

"Athena… is something burning?" he asked. Athena opened her mouth to scold him when her grey eyes flew open and she dashed back into the kitchen with a shriek.

00oo00oo

They were seated around the kitchen table, politely picking at the charred remains of the pancakes that Athena was having them eat as punishment. Odie happily chowed down on his fluffy golden breakfast, still laughing at the others and their misfortune.

"And to think I was the lucky one," Neil commented, lightly poking the black mass on his plate with a fork.

"Bell, ad lesd your noed id wurging!" Jay replied. Herry giggled from beside their leader.

"Oh, I'm sorry Jay, I didn't catch that? Can you repeat your statement?" he asked, grinning off the glare Jay sent him.

"Shuddub, Hewy," he muttered, sinking lower in his seat as the table started sniggering. Archie yawned halfway through a chuckle, and Atlanta had to slap him in the back to help him swallow his air.

"I'm tired," he sighed, resting his head on the table, "I've been flying for a whole day and hardly slept last night and now I'm feeling jetlagged."

"Well I'm just fine. I guess it only affects little kids," Theresa stuck her tongue out at him, politely cutting off a burnt piece and smothering it in syrup. Archie reached for his own black ammunition, when Atlanta grabbed him by the wrist and set his hand back at his side.

"Do I have to mother you too now?" she sighed. Archie lifted his head to roll his eyes at her and turned back to Theresa.

"Well, unlike you, I wasn't cuddling with Jay the whole night," he grinned savagely.

Theresa huffed, "Well of course not, _Little Brother _you were cuddling with Atlanta. But if you were cuddling with Jay, I wouldn't be surprised, but I think Jay might."

Both Archie and Jay's ears turned a shade of crimson.

"Leab be oud ub dis!" Jay cried, giving Theresa a good-natured shove. She laughed and waved him off.

Archie stuck out his tongue in disgust, "With that thing? He can't even talk right!"

"Dat's all your fauld! You hid be in da noed wid your bid head!" Jay accused, leaping up.

"Big head? Well, buddy, you're stupid, chiseled nose cracked my skull open! Let's see Theresa still cry your name when it's crooked!" Archie was scowling, but put on a good imitation of a high-pitched girl's voice crying Jay's name.

"Not like you don't cry for Atlanta when you're alone!" Theresa shot back, pulling Jay back into his seat. The room seemed to freeze for a moment as Archie and Atlanta shrugged off the insult and put on a mask of annoyance.

"Way too far that time!" she shouted, remarkably, at the same time as Archie.

"Because I'm right!" Theresa laughed.

"That's it!" Archie cried, "prepare to taste syrup!" He lunged forwards onto the table, trying to grab Theresa and knocking some dishes and silverware onto the floor as he did so. Theresa shrieked and fell backwards in her chair, scrambling to get away from Archie. Said teen was now perched on the table and had grabbed a bottle of syrup and, flipping the lid open, and squeezed.

Only to have a big, gooey mess splatter on his toes. Atlanta and Herry both burst out laughing, clutching their sides. Odie had pulled his plate away from the table and was leaning over his pancakes protectively. Theresa grabbed a jar of jam, and smeared a glop across Archie's face. He tried to lean back to get away from her, but fell back onto more plates and breakfasts. Laughing, and shouting in frustration in one muddled sound, he tried to squirt more syrup on her, getting some on her shirt and in her hair, and in protest she dumped the jam on his head.

"Miss Athena," Neil asked, his lower lip quivering and his blue eyes wide, "Archie fell in my food, can I have a normal pancake pretty-pretty-please?"

00oo00oo

Athena reappeared into the kitchen where Archie and Theresa were cleaning up the big mess left behind from their fight.

"Well, I've talked to Ares, Hera and Persephone and we've come up with a reasonable punishment. Theresa, you'll be helping me make meals and clean up the house, as well as more work from Persephone," Theresa sighed from her place at the sink, "and Archie, you'll be caring for Lucky, for a week, alone. As well as early practices with Ares."

"That's hardly fair!" Archie protested from washing the floor, "Theresa gets off easy here; I should at least get a little help from Atlanta with Lucky!"

Athena shook her head, "Atlanta's been looking after Lucky on her own for two weeks. You can manage a week."

Archie frowned, "Yeah, well, I still think Theresa gets off easy," he muttered.

Athena ignored him, "Now finish up with the kitchen- your chores start tomorrow."

Theresa stuck her tongue out at Archie and it only took him a moment to throw his rag at her.

00oo00oo

"So, what are the plans for today?" Theresa asked as she joined the others in the living room.

Herry move don the couch so there was room for her, "We're thinking of just heading to the mall for a while, or the park."

"In either case I'm staying here and getting some much-needed sleep," Archie added in.

"Lazybum," Atlanta teased. Archie rolled his eyes and ended up stifling a yawn.

"I'b thayig hoeb too," Jay told them, pinching the bridge of his nose and cursing Archie's head.

"Then lets just hang home, we've been out and all stressed all day yesterday anyways," Neil shrugged, fluffy towel wrapped loosely around his waist while he combed out his damp hair. Theresa leaned over and slapped his thigh, "Close your legs!" she hissed.

"Why? You know beauty cannot be contained," Neil flashed her his signature grin.

"Well, Neil, if I understand what you're talking about, beauty should be contained in public places, and especially in front of the female population," Odie grimaced.

"But I'm allowed to show my face, aren't I?" Neil responded.

Odie shook his head, "No, I said only beauty needed to be covered. Your head's just fine." Everyone burst out laughing at Neil's shocked face. The model got to his feet and stomped out of the room.

"So I guess we're just hanging around here for the day," Herry shrugged.

"Good," Archie yawned. He got up and headed upstairs.

"I'll come tuck you in and read you a story," Atlanta laughed to herself as she followed Archie up the stairs.

"I'b gonna ged an ike-pahk for by noed," Jay grumbled, walking into the kitchen. Odie said something about working on revising Archie and Theresa's PMR's since they were just a little more out-of-date then the others after a two-week absence.

Herry looked over at Theresa and pointed to the television, "Movie?"

Theresa nodded, "Romance."

"Action."

"Sappy."

"Hot."

"Mild."

"Agreed," Herry grinned and selected a movie from the wide assortment, specific to their requests.

He'd only flipped the channel setting to video and was just about to hit the play button when Jay walked in, slipped on the newly washed floor and landed in a big heap halfway into the living room. Herry burst out laughing while Theresa stuck her head over the couch to look at their fallen leader.

"You okay?" she asked.

"I'b bine!" he moaned. Jay dragged himself onto the couch and flopped down beside Theresa.

"You look upset," she commented.

"I'b habbing a radder bad day awe-weddy," he replied. She leaned over and gave him a hug.

"Feel better?" she said into his shoulder.

"A bot, tanks, Tewi," he replied, draping an arm over her shoulders.

Herry rejoined them on the couch and went to fast forward through the previews, when Odie came rushing into the living room.

"Guys! Guys! Go to the news, right now! Something bad's going on!" he cried.

Herry pouted, "But Odie, we just started the mo-"

"Now!"

Herry jumped up and changed the channel to the News.

_//And today we have a special report to what seems to be teenage terrorists. Following the attack in the airport yesterday, which left one person dead and a handful injured//_

Beside Theresa, Jay shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

_//A witness has stepped forwards to report seeing the 'get-away' jet the target group used land _inside_ a local high school. Police are investigating the situation and the surrounding areas and we'll have more news as to follow. Seen next is the witness speaking about what he's seen// _

The man dressed like he'd just gotten up, with large lips and pudgy cheeks and large hands was standing behind the camera. His eyes were bloodshot and he looked rather excited, nervous or a combination of the two. His gaze was darting all over.

_//And it was big and grey and had yellow bits on it! It was silent like a sneak-jet, but boy did it blow lots of wing around- it even blew of my hair!// _the man pointed to his bald head,_ //but I'm telling you all, I did see it. So don't think I'm crazy, 'cause I'm not. Just ask your kid, and don't trust 'em anymore!//_

_//And tell us, sir, just where in the city did you see this alleged jet?// _

_//Well, that's easy. I pass that stupid sign every day, and have for the past ten years. It came out of New Olympia High.// _

"Doh, cwap," Jay muttered.

"You said it," Herry replied.

* * *

Remember that guy from chapter one? He's back. And he went straight to the authorities.

So how will the gang deal with this- now that the authorities might just have their faces and their school.

And yet again, I'm trying to keep consistent character and also show the relationships between the group. Just because Jay and Theresa were cuddling doesn't mean they're a couple, yet, or maybe they never will be one. You'll have to wait and find out.

For those of you who are in the dark (meaning most everyone, as I doubt I've mentioned this to anyone) -Lucky is the name that I have given to the Stymphalion Chick that they wound up bringing home on that one mission. At least, in my mind they brought it back to the school and Archie and Atlanta wound up raising it.

And pronunciation notes: everything Jay says, say it how it sounds, and then hopefully you'll understand what he's saying. Also, when I have 'Therri' it's pronounced as 'Terri'. I only spell it that way to remain consistent with the 'Theseus' and 'Theresa' spellings.

Original-Character Ancestries Submitted (so you can have an original if you wish) - Helen, Penelope, Perseus, Orpeus, Midas and Bellerophoon.

I also have special, plot-important characters descendant from Hector, Asclepius and Meleager. And Medea, even though you know who's her descendant. Please try to avoid those ancestors please and thank you.

Constructive reviews are very much welcomed,

Demenior


	4. Within

Heroes Crusade: End of All Hope

Most characters fan-napped from: Class of the Titans

The rest are here from: My own mind and other places as will be noted in the future

Disclaimer: I don't own Class of the Titans

Warning: Mild to Heavy blood in this chapter. The extraction of a heart by a crazy guy on a hydra in the opening, but it'll shock you- not in the gore- but in -who- it is. And why.

Authors Note: Here's chapter four of 'End of All Hope'. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far and I really hope you enjoy this. I warn you, the events here lead up to some major angst in the next few chapters. Brace yourselves.

Story Notes:

"Talking"

_Thinking_

//Phones/ walkie-talkies/ pmr's/ earpieces/ basically just mechanical devices//

-Thought speech-

00oo00oo scene/time/POV change

**Previously:**

Sibling rivalry showed through and now Archie and Theresa have chores to do for a week. But how long will they be able to do them? A man has seen the jet leave the school and has gone straight to the media. Will the gods be able to remain secret?

* * *

"There are few things more dreadful than dealing with a man who knows he is going under, in his own eyes, and in the eyes of others. Nothing can help that man. What is left of that man flees from what is left of human attention.

James A. Baldwin"

**Within**

_Jay threw himself to the ground as the massive head snapped above him. With a roar Herry came charging in, grabbing the hydra's head and tossing it back with his mighty strength. _

"_We still need fire!" he cried, being most experienced in fighting this monster._

"_Once Jay actually starts cutting heads off, we'll have a reason to burn it!" Neil snapped back from where he and Odie were crouched over a pile of twigs and notes and lint dug out of their pockets. Jay scowled, rolling his eyes, and pulled himself back to his feet. His shirt was now covered with gunk that was on the cave-floor. _

_Like two streaks of lightning, Archie and Atlanta shot into his vision and leapt at the hydra, letting out a combo battle-cry they had been working on all week. The hydra seemed hardly impressed, especially when they came down hard on its nose, and threw them both aside with a flick of its head. They landed in a heap somewhere in his peripheral. A blast of violet lightening came from the dark nearby and Jay grinned as he momentarily saw the image of Theresa, feet firmly planted and her eyes bright like stars with her hair flying about her. He hefted his sword in his hand and charged again, but a familiar sense struck him cold, like a foul taste in his mouth. He whirled around to see the pale skin and glowing red eyes of his enemy. _

"_Well, Jay, I must admit I'm disappointed. One of you managed to defeat the hydra thousands of years ago, but seven of you together can't defeat it today," Cronus sighed, clasping his hands together. _

"_I'm sorry to hear that, but we won't keep you upset for long," Jay growled back, sword raised. _

_Cronus 'tut-tutted', shaking an accusing finger, "So quick to anger, my young friend. Be careful, it might be the end of you." Jay narrowed his eyes and leapt at the Titan._

_00oo00oo_

_Sweat rolled down his face and plastered his bangs to his forehead. He sidestepped and parried the scythe with his gravitational blade. The muck under his feet squished and slurped as he and Cronus fought. _

_The hydra roared and hissed in the background, and he could hear the shouts and cries of his friends as they failed to defeat it. The second it had realized what Odie and Neil were up to, it had gone after then- obviously aware of it's only weakness after being killed by Herry all those years ago. _

_Jay heard the snap of jaws, and most sickeningly, the bellow that followed. He knew without looking that Herry had been hit, and he could only imagine the bloody body of his friend falling to the ground. Despite himself Jay glanced to see, and knew that he'd made a grave error. Cronus slashed him across the upper arm and he tumbled to the ground. Before Jay could get up, Cronus had placed a foot on his back and in a single movement, grabbed a handful of Jay's hair and snapped his head up._

"_Foolish error, Jay. I'll kill you when the time is right, but for now you can see your friends die," the titan chuckled. Jay nearly closed his eyes and refused, but he couldn't help it. He had to watch, to see their final moments. _

_Herry was still alive, fallen on the ground and shaking as he clutched his torn torso. He was nearly curled in a ball and Theresa, Archie and Atlanta were trying to defend him. Odie had run over and was trying to pull Herry away as best he could, with hardly and result. _

_One of the hydra's heads came over the three-teen wall and went for Odie, and Jay found himself about to call out and warn but Cronus suddenly brought down all his weight on his back and Jay lost the wind in his lungs. He coughed and gasped for air as, just in time, Theresa saw the attack coming and threw herself at Odie and the half-standing Herry, knocking them out of the way just enough to spare them. But not her, the hydra grabbed her by a leg, shook her like a sack of meat and then tossed her in the air. Before she come down into it's hungry jaws, a rally of amethyst lasers burned holes through the skin in it's neck and it jerked in agony. Archie leapt forwards and caught Theresa before she hit the ground and placed her away from the battle._

_Two left, only two to defend the world Jay thought in despair. But as Archie ran back, the hydra's tail came out of nowhere and slammed him in the chest, sending him flying and he collapsed against the cave wall. Atlanta nearly shrieked when she saw Archie crumple, and that was enough distraction for the hydra to nearly get her. Had Atlanta not been as fast as she was, she would have been bitten right in half, but she was fast enough to only have her hip cut up on the sharp fangs as she pulled back. Nevertheless, it was enough to send her to the ground and she could not rise again. The hydra roared in triumph, ignoring Neil and Odie who, while not cowards but unable to battle for their own reasons, were no match for it. _

"_No," Jay whispered. Cronus's heel dug into his back and his head hurt from where the iron fist had kept hold of his hair. _

"_I'm afraid it is, Jay. This is the end for you, your mortal friends, and the world .Now die like the dog you are," Cronus laughed, and Jay heard the scythe rise and tensed for the end. He could feel the hot tears in the corners of his eyes as he saw his fallen teammates and knew, in the end, it would be him who let down the prophecy and the world. _

_Wait, there was movement. Jay gasped as he saw Archie struggle to his feet and he could feel Cronus's confusion as well. Archie looked around at the fallen team, not seeing Jay in the darkness, and up at the hydra. The hydra slowly turned to face him._

_Run, Archie Jay thought it's all over. There's no way you can defeat it now._

_Archie must have realized the same, because his stance suddenly changed. Instead of looking almost afraid and defensive, it suddenly became almost relaxed and bold. But his shoulders slumped and he seemed to drop, and that told Jay that Archie had given up. Except… no, he wasn't giving in, he was coiling, like a snake about to strike. The hydra lunged at him, but all it got was a mouthful of dirt. Archie launched himself into the air and threw one of his spinning-blades at it and it struck the monster in the eye. It reared back and the other heads attempted to attack now. Archie moved like quicksilver, twisting, turning, dodging and leaping. It was beautiful, almost poetic. Jay wasn't sure he'd ever seen anyone able to move like that. Jay could feel Cronus's growing concern as the hydra failed to strike Archie down and the pressure on his back relaxed. _

_With a cry, that chillingly Jay found more like a laugh then anything, Archie sprang into the air, pushing off the hydra's heads, and came down right on it's back. Right through it's body. At that very second, while Cronus gasped, Jay pushed upwards with all his might and the Titan was thrown off balance. He stumbled forwards, sliding in the mud, and ran towards Archie as the hydra fell. _

_Archie was standing up, holding something large and dripping in his hand. Jay stopped cold as he realized what it was, seeing it beat one last time. The hydra's heart. Archie turned to face him, and as he did so he squeezed hard enough with his hand that the heart burst and blood splattered on himself and the floor. Looking into Archie's face, Jay didn't know if he'd been safer under Cronus's foot or here with Archie. _

_Archie was grinning, and it was a deranged smile. Something had snapped inside of him and Jay knew he wasn't alright. It scared him, because he could remember all the times he'd looked in the mirror and seen that same face and known what might have happened had he lost control. Deep down, he knew Archie was very well about to kill him. _

_Theresa had gotten up, though dazed, and was limping towards Archie, "Wow, Archie, that… that was amazing! I've never seen you-" Jay didn't know what to say, to tell her to get away from Archie or to congratulate him as well. As soon as Theresa was in reach, Archie grabbed her and locked her to his body and hardly a second later, the blade of one of his spinning-blades was at her neck. Theresa stiffened, eyes going wide. _

_Jay was speechless, and didn't know how to react. Archie smiled insanely over Theresa's shoulder at him, "Will you die for her," Archie hissed. Theresa shivered as the blade pressed on her throat. _

_Jay narrowed his eyes, "Let her go, Archie. I know how you feel, it'll pass soon. Let Theresa go everything will go back to normal; we've won- you won. We saved the world again, we're okay." Jay talked slowly, hoping he could connect with Archie. Still, the young warrior showed no sign that he was understanding Jay at all. In fact, he seemed to be enjoying Jay's worry. _

"_Fire! I made fire!" Neil suddenly shrieked. Distracted for a moment, Archie glanced at the model, and Theresa brought her elbow into his gut, pushing away from him and running towards Jay as fast as she could. Reacting almost as swiftly, Archie threw the tri-star at her, and it probably would have killed her, but she deflected it with a violet wave and it fell harmlessly to the ground. _

_Growling in frustration, Archie dashed forwards and dove for his blade, but Jay beat him there and tackled him. The two of them rolled on the ground, fighting to get the upper hand, until Archie managed to get a foot underneath him and kicked Jay away. The younger nearly giggled in delight as Jay released his sword, ready to get dirty if that was what it was going to take to wake Archie up._

"I take it you just saw the news?" Athena asked, walking in. The four teens nodded, wide-eyed.

"What does this mean? What's going to happen now?" Odie spoke up.

"Well, to tell you the truth, I'm not too sure. After the whole incident at the airport yesterday, everyone's on high-alert. Otherwise, this would be looked over as some insane man's ramblings. Hera says it's best if you kids stay away from the dorm and the school for as long as possible today, better even if you split up to draw less attention," Athena explained. She crossed her arms across her chest.

"In that case, I'll go get Archie, Atlanta and Neil," Theresa said, getting up. She gave Jay a warm pat on the shoulder as she left.

Athena stopped her at the stairs, "Tell Archie to be ready when he comes down, I need to talk to him."

Theresa nodded sadly, "Alright."

A few moments later, Archie and Atlanta came bounding down the stairs, hardly touching the ground. They touched down around the same time, both giving a cry of 'I win' before silencing in the intimidating presence of Athena.

"Theresa's talking Neil out of his room," Atlanta giggled. Athena smiled, then looking at Archie nodded towards the kitchen. The goddess and mortal quietly slipped away into the kitchen as Atlanta joined the other three to help make plans for the day.

The goddess seemed apprehensive a moment before starting.

"We were a little... worried, about letting you go to the wedding."

Archie nodded, arms crossed and looking away, "I know."

"It was a... concern, that with all of the emotions and having your very close mother marry the father of someone you don't get along with very well... we wondered if you might..."

"Kill someone?" Archie said in monotone.

"Pretty much," Athena admitted, "so, tell me, how was it- in terms of your mental state?"

Archie seemed to find his toes quite interesting right now, "Not many people were there, both parents didn't have that many friends," Archie chuckled half-heartedly at that, "but, I love seeing my mom happy more then anything. So, I wasn't all that upset and... it went really well, actually."

Athena nodded understandingly, "Are you scared, Archie? Or is there anything I can do for you?"

Secretly she was remembering trying to calm the six other children after they'd had to fight Archie and had nearly lost. Jay, cut and bruised with his arm in a sling asking again and again if Archie would be okay and if he could talk to Archie, like a leader should, that he should be helping.

It seemed so long ago, when they had all been wide-eyed at the thought of being beaten and bloody to the point of being unrecognizable, and now they hardly cried but quietly brought their weary bodies to Chiron's office and wouldn't even flinch from the stitches they so often received.

She remembered that night, seeing Archie's still form bound tightly to the bed in Chiron's room in case he hadn't quite regained sanity when he awoke. She remembered his screams as he awoke in a panic, suddenly realizing he was unable to get up, and then feeling the pain nearly knock him unconscious again. He'd torn nearly every muscle possible and was black and blue and stiff for weeks.

Yet, she recalled, the worst blow was dealt not by sword or fist, but through words. The gods finally had to tell Archie that the insanity he had briefly endured wasn't from stress and wasn't avoidable. It was as much of his bloodline as the reason he wore the golden ankle brace on his right leg. It was unavoidable, and slowly that lack of caring for others, liking others in agony, would become his normal consciousness, the very same insanity he displayed the night he killed the hydra.

Archie's gaze moved from the floor and he looked directly into her old, old eyes with his own dark eyes that had seen too much for such a short lifetime, and was still faced with the ultimate doom. He knew he could never have the happy life he wanted, and he whispered, "The one thing I'd want you to do you can't change."

He walked past her and back to his friends.

Athena was aged and had seen many hardships and many mortals faced with doom and not once had she cried or really cared for any mortal, but now, as she stood alone in the kitchen and listened to the fake cheerfulness in the voices in the other room, she didn't bat an eyelash, but on the inside she sobbed and wailed for her seven dear children.

00oo00oo

"So what's the plan?" Archie asked as he walked in.

Atlanta was first to inform him, "We're all going out for the day, want to go to the mall?" When Archie's look meant he was about to ask why they were all heading out, not that he minded spending time with Atlanta after missing her for a few weeks, Odie spoke up.

"Someone saw the jet leave the high school, we need to vamoose while the cops are checking out the school because they might track the seven kids from the airport to the seven kids who suddenly pulled out of school and 'randomly' went into home schooling," the younger informed. Archie nodded understandingly and he and Atlanta shared a high-five.

"I got Neil out of his room by promising I'd shop with him today, so we'll be at the mall too," Theresa nudged Jay in the side and he stifled a giggle, "and I'll drag this oaf along because he's having a bad day and I'll need to translate for him."

"I guess that means I'm stuck with the giant again, now that the couples are back together," Odie laughed, nudging Herry playfully in the ribs, and ignored the 'we're not dating' glares he received, "no problem though, I'm sure we'll find stuff to do- easy."

"So be cawn all doe in Hewy's trud awnd be drobbed obf ad seberate endrances," Jay explained the best he could. Archie went to tease Jay, but Atlanta elbowed him in the gut before he could speak.

"Everyone have their PMR's?" Odie added quickly. All but Theresa and Archie nodded.

"Yours are still being upgraded," the genius explained to the new siblings, "so stick close to the others." The nodded in agreement and headed out the door.

"Curfew still stands! Be back by ten-thirty exactly or you're out all night- and away from here or the school," Athena called on their way out.

"Oh all right, then!" Neil called back at her, giving Athena a blue-eyed wink with the brightest teeth that would make most girls melt in a second, Athena merely shook her head and headed back inside. She went to her own personal room to change into something more 'nanny-ish' in case the authority did show up looking for the children.

They had all piled into the familiar comforts of Herry's truck, before realizing it was probably better it they went separately. Herry and Odie stayed in the truck, while Jay, Theresa and Neil climbed into her dusty car and Archie and Atlanta, after reassuring the others they'd be fine, went off on their skateboards.

00oo00oo

Neil grooved along to the music, which he had turned up full blast so it boomed in the ears of the three in the car and those on the sidewalk. Jay, keeping his head down in the back seat, noted quite a few glares sent in their direction.

"Oh, lighten up, Jay!" Theresa laughed, looking in the rear-view mirror.

Jay grinned sheepishly at her, and shook his head. The sunlight glinted off the hoop in his right ear. She felt her smile grow as she studied his familiar features in the mirror.

His nose was slightly crooked, pointing more down than before. Most definitely thanks to Archie. She frowned slightly, noting to take a swing at him when she next saw her little brother. Jay's hair was just as she remembered it, if not slightly longer. Was it a little scruffier? She wasn't sure, but she knew he looked far older then when she'd said goodbye to him at the airport a few weeks ago. His eyes couldn't hide the stress of saving the world anymore, none of theirs could.

As she focused back on the road, she thought back to the times she'd snuck into the others rooms for support. She also remembered that one time she'd been woken up by a rattled Archie the night before the wedding. She remembered the two of them curled up on the floor in the darkness, as she rubbed his back and soothed him while he tried not to cry. That was the first time she'd ever seen him cry, or that they'd spent the night together without fighting.

"Eyes on the road, Therri," Jay reminded, tapping her shoulder. She came out of her daze and nodded, smiling for him. The look he gave her in the mirror told her he knew she wasn't as happy as she appeared.

"'Course they are," she laughed. Neil continued singing, leaning over to turn up the volume more.

Theresa leaned over and turned the music down, "So, Neil, today is you day- where are we headed first?"

Neil gave her a killer smile, blue eyes alight in the sun, "Well, I want to trim my hair a bit today, get my nails done and I need a few new pants. Which would you like to do first?"

Theresa thought for a moment, "Alright then," she decided, "the three of us are going for a manicure today!"

She and Neil burst out laughing at Jay's shrieked "What?" from the back seat.

00oo00oo

"So," Herry began slowly, "where to first?"

Odie shrugged, "Iunno, where do you want to go?"

Herry shrugged, "Dunno."

They waited in a few minutes of silence, each trying to think of some way they could waste away the day.

"Do you ever feel like we get the short end of the stick because of the Couples?" Odie asked out of the blue.

Herry glanced over at him, tapping the steering wheel lightly, "I guess so. I mean, not that they are _officially_ couples, and would kill us if we even hinted at such, but they don't try to exclude us." He looked at the smaller, hoping his rambling made sense.

Odie rolled his eyes, "They always go rushing off together the chance they get. You know what, I think it's our turn to be included!"

"…you want to go to the spa with Neil? You know that's where he'll drag Theresa, right?"

After a thoughtful silence, both realized that Jay would also be forced to go along to the spa. The friends burst out laughing.

"And you know Theresa will force him to get a manicure or something," Odie slapped his knee at the thought.

Herry's shoulders were shaking as he chuckled, taking them around the corner. Suddenly he hissed and Odie heard some curses under his breath as his hand flew to his shoulder.

"Herry, pull over. We can just hang out or something," he said quickly.

Herry shook his head, "Naw, I'm fine Little Buddy. Let's not get left out today, what do you say we go bug Archie and Atlanta?"

Odie grinned, "Alright, let's head to the mall!" He pumped a fist in the air as he flicked on the radio and turned up the music.

00oo00oo

"Bud Theweee-saaa! I don'd beed a madicure!" Jay complained as Theresa and Neil pulled him into the spa.

"Actually Jay, when was the last time you had one?" Theresa demanded. Jay leveled her with a flat glare, "exactly," she continued, "if you won't give yourself some pleasures, then at least let your nails relax."

"And trust me, buddy, these poor suckers have been traumatized enough," Neil commented, looking at Jay's nails.

"Bud-" Jay was cut off as a bell rang when they entered the spa. The woman behind the desk lit up.

"Neil, baby! Welcome back! What can I do for you?"

Neil grinned, "The three of us would like a good nail job, and get the chair with restraints for this guy." The model nodded to Jay who, at hearing restraints, was digging his heels in and trying to pull away.

The woman laughed, "Alright, I'll see what I can do for you."

Theresa pulled while Neil pushed and they managed to strap Jay down into a chair and force him to promise not to make a run for it the next second. A few minutes later found the three of them all beginning to relax as their hands were given the proper treatment they deserved.

A top-heavy young man, muscle enough to rival Herry, watched the spa from across the street. He grinned, sharp teeth showing, and sniffed the air.

"You'e tim'ing iz impec'ble, Lo'd C'onus," he said in heavy accented English.

Cronus stood in the shadows behind him, "The model is not alone, is he?"

"No, de luk'y f'ool 'as b'ought a'ong d'oo Tee'eroes," the minotaur replied.

"Teeroes?" Cronus repeated.

"T'eenaga' 'eroes," the beast explained slowly.

"We really are going to have to work on your accent. Honestly, _Teeroes_," Cronus snorted in amusement. The minotaur ducked his head in shame.

"No bother," Cronus said quickly, any hint of amusement gone instantly, "follow them. I want them dead before nightfall."

"Ye's, Lo'd C'onus," the minotaur bowed politely.

"S'o, ah ve v'eady to go?" a harpy asked. The minotaur nodded. Another harpy moved up beside him.

"To bad de St'ong von is'eent 'ere. I vould like to feenish 'im off," she muttered.

"Een due t'me," the minotaur grinned, "dey vill all fall."

His eyes settled on Jay.

* * *

Dun dun dun, the tension mounts. So, Herry and Odie are off to hang out with Archie and Atlanta and ruin their 'alone time'. Jay, Neil and Theresa are getting manicures while being watched by a small group who's out to kill them before the day is over. Will they be able to save themselves? Will Cronus triumph? And what about Archie? How is he going to have to face going insane?

Hopefully this satisfies you this week.

Demenior

**And please remember, I am still accepting original character profiles. You may make more then one. See chapter three for the heroes I have, and chapter 1 for the questionaire. Thank you.**


	5. Wounds

Heroes Crusade: End of All Hope

Most characters fan-napped from: Class of the Titans

The rest are here from: My own mind and other places as will be noted in the future

Disclaimer: I don't own Class of the Titans

Warning: Blood. Major mauling of a face. This is a detailed, intense battle. If you start feeling queasy, look away. Keep your hands and legs inside the ride at all times. And again, I'm serious. **Fairly descriptive mauling of someone's face. **Also, if you love me and don't want to stop loving me, then maybe you shouldn't read this chapter. Especially if you're an A/A or Jay fan.

Authors Note:

Story Notes:

"Talking"

_Thinking_

//Phones/ walkie-talkies/ pmr's/ earpieces/ basically just mechanical devices//

-Thought speech-

00oo00oo scene/time/POV change

**Previously:**

The kids are being forced to go out for the day, and they've split up into their respective groups. Not willing to be left out anymore, Odie and Herry are off to find Archie and Atlanta. Jay, Theresa and Neil are currently enjoying the treatment of a manicure at Neil's favorite spa, but what they don't know is that they're being watched. The harpy that attacked Herry, another harpy and a minotaur in human guises have been ordered by Cronus himself to kill the 'Teeroes' before the day is done. Lets hope they can survive.

* * *

"The face of a lover is an unknown, precisely because it is invested with so much of oneself. It is a mystery, containing, like all mysteries, the possibility of torment."  
James A. Baldwin

**Wounds**

_Captain Jason, Leader of the Arganoughts, sailed through the great unknown that was the bathtub. Jay steered the small boat, which he had named the Argo, and it's tiny crew, through the field of deadly bubble and, around the toe-shaped mountains. As he drained the tub Jay saved them from the hungry whirlpool of Charybdis. _

_Jay toweled off quickly and raced to his room, throwing on his favorite purple-striped-yellow shirt and a pair of shorts lying on the floor. Holding the Argo high, they zoomed out of his room and down the hallway. Sunlight reflected off of all of the pictures and paintings decorating the walls. Of the family and of Greek myths captured in an artistic medium. Jay, obviously, had always loved Jason. _

_Jason's story of adventure, fighting monsters, the gods and even romance- Jay could admit he liked all the parts of Jason's story, except the end- Jay wished that one day he'd get to do something like that. He tripped over the rug as he entered the living room. The Argo hit the floor and lay on its side._

"_Oh no! Poseidon must be angry today- there's a storm!" Jay cried, snatching up his little ship. He leapt around the room, making the sounds of waves crashing and thunder booming while the Argo rolled and pitched in his hand._

"_How can we save ourselves? We'll all die if the storm goes on- save us Jason!" Jay leapt up onto the couch, in his mind's eye he was walking on the tilting deck of the Argo while his crew looked to him._

"_Trim the sail," he cried, "row- row for all you're worth. If anyone has offended Poseidon you must beg for mercy now or else you will kill us all!" _

_Some of the sailors got to their knees and begged for forgiveness. Hercules ran up to him._

"_Captain, the waves are getting worse- I think we need to make a sacrifice!" he said. Jay(son) nodded. Jay always liked Hercules, he thought being so strong would be awesome._

_Jay(son) turned to look over his crew, or at least those he could remember from the story. There was Peleus, who he didn't like very much. Laertes, a smart and, what Jay thought was cool, person. Meleager who was love struck by this boy-girl named Atalanta. Jay thought it was cool that she was so fast, but didn't like that she was a girl. Girls had too many cooties as far as he was concerned._

_Jay leapt on top of the couch and cried out, "Hera- save us from the storm!"_

"_Jay? What's going on in there?" he heard his mother call, coming down the hallway. As she came into view, Jay screamed and jumped off the couch, running away._

"_It's Scylla! She's come to devour us all!" he shrieked. _

"_Scylla? Why you little rascal!" his mother laughed and chased after him. Jay let out another shriek and dodged behind the coffee table and into the kitchen where he looked around for somewhere to escape to. Jay wiggled under the chairs at the table and held his breath while he clutched the Argo to his chest._

_Hissing his name in a scary voice, his mother stomped into the room._

"_Where have those Arganoughts gone? I am hungry and must gobble them up! Maybe they have drifted too close to Charybdis?" she said loudly. Mother stomped around the kitchen, pretending to sniff the air as she went. She passed very close to Jay, almost seeing him, but she just missed him. He wanted to giggle at her silliness. He would have found him if he were looking. _

"_I must have lost them!" Scylla/Mother announced. Jay peeked out from his hiding place and saw that she had her back turned. Grinning, he jumped out with an 'Aha!' and stabbed her in the back with his sword. _

_Mother let out a cry which he assumed was Scylla dying, and fell to the floor, taking him with her. Jay struggled to try and get out of her grasp, but she was still too strong._

"_Hercules! Help me!" Jay cried. Mother laughed and started tickling him. Jay continued calling for Hercules until he was laughing too hard and had tears running down his face to speak._

"_Jay! You're so ticklish- I never knew!" Mother laughed. _

_Jay tried to set on a straight face, "I'm Jason! I'm not ticklish!"_

"_Oh, really?" Mother gave her a stern look, "be careful Jay, I know when you're lying."_

_Jay flinched, "H-how?" He looked at her with his big eyes, worried he was about to get in trouble._

_She tapped a finger on his forehead, "You see, you have a Mommy Dot on your head that glows when you lie- but only your Mommy can see it."_

_Jay quickly felt his forehead, but could feel nothing unusual._

"_I don't think it's there," he told her._

"_We'll see," she laughed, getting up and leaving the room. _

_It was a few days later when the Argo got in trouble and had to flee from Hades, and Mothers favorite flower vase tried to stop them. Jay told his parents he didn't do it and he almost got away with it too. He covered his Mommy Dot with his hand so that his Mom wouldn't see if it was glowing or not. It must've glowed through his fingers for something because she somehow knew it was him all along and he had to sit in the corner for a whole afternoon._

Archie and Atlanta were exploring all their old hangouts and still goofing off like they always had. They stopped by an electronic kiosk and looked at all of the neat toys there. Something else caught Atlanta's eye.

"Hey, Archie, want to go see a movie?" she asked. He looked to the theatre sign she was pointing at and shrugged in response.

"Let's go then, Dork," she links hands with him and pulled him into the theatre.

They agreed to see a suspenseful thriller, and Atlanta got them seats in the middle of the room. They commented on the upcoming features, which ones they wanted to see and which ones looked stupid. They shared a popcorn and a drink, so their hands had many brushes with each other that would cause them to pull away embarrassedly.

The movie was pulling to a dramatic climax; the whole audience was on the edge of their seats. Archie stiffened as he felt Atlanta grab his hand for reassurance. Archie felt the blush in his cheeks as he looked down to their hands. He looked into Atlanta's face and their eyes met. She smiled and leaned over to him, and he leaned in too. She started leaning in further until he could feel her short breaths on his lips. He wanted to kiss her so bad.

"Stop it, 'Lan," he whispered.

She looked crestfallen, but remained where she was, "Archie, why can't we just date? I know you like me and I like you too- a lot. I don't care if you're insane or anything, why can't we just be happy for a little while at least?"

Archie shook his head, "Atlanta, I told you before- we can't. When I found out I was going to go insane, I swore never to get too close to anyone. Trust me, if I could I'd take you out every second night and I'd care for you like you should be cared for- because you're more precious than gold. I wish I could, but I can't."

"But you can," she insisted, "there can be a you and I. I can skip track practice to come hang out with you or we could go on fancy dinners or I could just hold your hand in the hallways on the way to class. I've told you so many times- I don't care. Why do you have to be so paranoid?"

"Because I don't want you to get hurt," he whispered. She leaned closer, going to steal a kiss. He turned away and she kissed him on the cheek. Archie got up and headed out of the theatre. Atlanta got up and ran after him. She found him sitting outside, head in his hands.

"Arch… I'm sorry. I'm really sorry," she sat down beside him, "but everything I said was true. I really, really do care about you and I just don't get why we can't go out."

Archie looked up at her and Atlanta was shocked that he looked like he might cry, "I know, 'Lan. I want that just as badly as you. But I don't want to hurt you, and know I will if we start dating. That's why we can only be friends."

She took his hand in hers and squeezed it gently, "No matter what," she smiled, "I'm always here for you."

"I'll always be there for you too," he smiled, squeezing her hand back.

"Let's go get something to eat!" she grinned, pulling him off the bench and leading him away, "you're paying!"

00oo00oo

They had just finished and were dumping their trash in the garbage cans when Archie felt a tug on his shorts. He looked down to see a little girl with watery eyes looking up at him.

"I-I can't find my mo-mommy!" she cried, tears beginning to drip down her cheeks.

Archie stared at her as if he didn't understand what she was saying. Atlanta came over to them, looking from Archie to the girl.

"What's wrong?" she asked, kneeling down.

"My m-mommy's g-gooone!" the girl's voice started rising in distress.

"Don't worry, we'll find her! Where did you last see her?" Atlanta asked, picking the girl up. The girl pointed and Atlanta started walking. Archie followed and the two of them didn't speak about what had just happened.

The girl had no real idea where she had been or where her mom was. She didn't know her last name and could only say 'my mommy says I have her nose' as to her description. Atlanta was getting tired of carrying her, and the girl had a death grip on her neck.

"Should we go to the lost and found?" Archie asked. He hadn't spoken the entire time.

"Th-that sounds like a good idea," Atlanta realized.

They changed direction and kept up a good pace. Archie continued walking behind Atlanta and the little girl appeared to be falling asleep.

"You know," Atlanta said to Archie, "she's actually kind of cute."

Archie nodded slowly, not meeting her eyes. Atlanta didn't like the look on his face.

"Arch… do we need to get out of here?" she asked.

Archie nodded again, touching some fingers to his temple as if he were trying to push something away. Atlanta picked up her pace.

"Hey, we have a little girl who got away from her mom," Atlanta called into the lost and found. A rather angry-looking guy a few years her and Archie's senior came up to the window. He looked at the girl and then leveled Atlanta with a glare.

"What's her name?" he snarled.

Atlanta glared back, and nudged the girl awake, "Hey, what's your name?"

She blinked tiredly, "Rachel," she whispered.

"Rachel," Atlanta told the man coldly, "she doesn't remember her last name."

The boy remained unfazed. He leaned over to the mike and spoke into the intercom.

//Would the mother of Rachel please come to the South Lost and Found?//

He sat back, glared at Atlanta again, and then disappeared back to wherever he went. Atlanta snorted, "Jerk."

After a few minutes they moved onto the benches nearby, still waiting. Archie was massaging his temples and growing more agitated. Atlanta knew they needed to get out of here soon, or else Archie was going to lose it. But she couldn't leave Rachel with that Jerk of a man.

"Just a little longer, Arch. It'll be okay." He nodded and Rachel snored quietly in her arms. People walking past were giving her strange looks, Atlanta scowled and glared at them right back. Just then she heard someone shouting and saw an older woman running towards the Lost and Found. Atlanta shook Rachel awake.

"Hey, Rachel, is that your Mom?" she pointed to the woman.

Rachel's eyes lit up, "Mommy!" she cried. She leapt out of Atlanta's arms and ran to her mom's open arms. Her mother whirled around and picked her up, crying about how sorry she was. Rachel seemed to be so delighted to have her mommy back. Atlanta smiled and got up, pulling Archie up by the shoulder.

As they left, Atlanta turned back to see Rachel one last time, and it looked like she was pointing them out to her mother. Her mother motioned for them to come back, and was reaching for her purse.

She wants to pay us! Atlanta realized. She grinned and shook her head, giving the two of them a wave as she and Archie disappeared into the crowd.

00oo00oo

"I feel so much better!" Neil cried as they left the spa. He waved good-bye to the manicurists and they giggled as they waved back.

"You have to admit, Jay, it does feel better!" Theresa grinned.

Jay looked down to his buffed nails, he'd had to get clear nail polish or else the woman doing his nails probably would have been so offended she'd whip off his hands. She had told him she'd done that to customers who wasted a manicure. She didn't sound like she'd been kidding. He had to admit they looked… pretty.

"Whadever," he shrugged. Both Neil and Theresa laughed at him and the three headed into the parking lot.

There were three people standing around Theresa's car. Two eccentrically beautiful women with seemingly flawless features and a top-heavy, though ruggedly handsome, man. Jay's heart missed a beat. Two harpies and a minotaur. They were in trouble.

Jay took a fighting stance, and Theresa stiffened beside him. Neil, though stepping back behind them, suddenly got more alert and nervous as well.

" 'Ello Tee'eroes. Ve 'ave been vaiding fo' you. Tuday you vill all die," the harpy sitting on the hood of Theresa's car hissed. Jay's eyes widened.

"You! You're de one thad attacked Herry!" he cried. She laughed.

"I vill keel de St'ong Von lad'ere. Afta' ah 'ave feenish'd you!" she cried. The second harpy lunged forwards at Neil and the one who had attacked Herry barreled into Jay. With a roar, the minotaur sprang into battle.

Jay managed to push her as she attacked, and she lashed out and struck him across the right side of his face, leaving deep, red grooves. He reeled back, just avoiding the powerful punch from the minotaur before Theresa flipped over his head and kicked the minotaur in the jaw. Neil was doing well holding off the other harpy with the retractable staff Jay forced him to carry around at all times. That left him with the one who had attacked Herry. She had long, chestnut hair and olive skin with large, black eyes. Her lips were full and her body slim but very well muscled. Jay heard a sickening, wet sound as her wings broke through the skin on her back.

With a shrieking laugh she jumped at him again, claws going for his face like the last attack. He only just managed to keep his eye intact, but she scratched open the same cheek again. Jay swung his fists and punched at her face as she clawed at him, tearing up the right side of his face even more. He was thankful she's missed his eye. Her wings flapped wildly, stirring his bangs into his face. Jay finally landed a lucky punch and threw her back a step. Blood was dripping into his eye and off his chin. He wiped some of it off on his sleeve before the harpy ran at him again.

Theresa saved him with a blast of psychic energy as she rushed in to take his fight. She was limping and he knew the minotaur was proving too much for her. Now that he had a second, Jay whipped out his gravitational sword, releasing the blade, and charged at the minotaur. The skin on its left arm has been broken and the monstrous human-bull arm was visible.

The minotaur bellowed and charged at Jay. At the last second Jay dodged to the side, slashed the minotaur in its shoulder, and rolled over the hood of a parked mustang. The car alarm went off. The beast turned, crying out, and ran right into the car Jay stood behind. The car alarm continued beeping as the mustang was thrown across the parking lot. Jay turned and made a dash for the little 'Bug a fair distance away. The minotaur was right behind him. Jay veered away at the last second, but the minotaur was smarter than he expected and dodged away from the punch-buggy as well.

With no where else to go, Jay started a chase around the car, keeping the monster in view through the clear windows. The minotaur snarled at him through the glass, thrusting its non-human arm through the windows to try and grab him. Jay slashed the forearm and it pulled back. He was breathing hard and the blood was stinging his eye again. The harpy had ripped out chunks of his hair too, he realized.

"S'ink you ah so sma't, Tee'eroe?" the minotaur chuckled from his place atop the car. Jay gasped and tried to backpedal, but tripped over his own feet. The minotaur jumped down and stood over him, still chuckling deep in its throat.

Jay swung his sword in an arc, but the minotaur swatted it aside. Jay crawled back as the minotaur leaned over him.

"Ah vill enjoy dis, Son of Jas'n," he hissed.

00oo00oo

Odie and Herry strode into the mall with a spring in their step. Odie put on the best imitation he could of Archie and Theresa fighting, and Herry nearly cried he was laughing so hard.

They headed to the food court to find Archie and Atlanta, but didn't catch any sight of them. They decided to check around the arcade and the theatre, but after having no luck, both were starting to get upset.

"So the one time we come to join them, we can't find them! What's up with that?" Herry wondered aloud.

"I concur," Odie nodded. They stopped down on a bench near the Lost and Found station. Odie pulled out his PMR.

//Atlanta?// he asked //where'd you two go? We've been looking for you guys everywhere!//

Atlanta's face showed worry on the screen, they could see she was on her skateboard, as the clouds above her head rushed past//We… we're heading to the library, you know, for some peace and quiet.// She turned her head and asked if Archie was doing okay behind her.

//You going to be okay?// Odie asked.

Atlanta nodded slowly //Yeah… I think we'll be alright. He's doing okay- it's just a little further Arch, hold on- and I'll get him reading his lame poetry and we'll be good.//

Herry leaned over //Do you need a ride?//

Atlanta shook her head //No, we're fi- Oh no! Jay and the others are being attacked- by the spa! A minotaur and two harpies!// she suddenly cried.

Odie and Herry jumped up //We're on our way!// they cried.

Odie was just turning off his PMR when he heard Jay's bloodcurdling scream.

00oo00oo

Jay turned to roll out of the way, but the minotaur punched him in the chest so hard he was knocked back onto the pavement. The breath was knocked out of his lungs and the ground cracked underneath his body. He gasped for air, black spots invading his vision, as he narrowly dodged another punch that probably would have killed him. The ground shook and as he sprang back to his feet, his head reeled and the blood stung his eye so much he had to keep it closed and it trickled into his mouth with its warm, coppery taste.

The minotaur snarled and swung at him again, Jay dove aside and dashed for his sword. The minotaur kicked him in the back of the legs, sending him to the ground again. Jay crawled, scrambling to get back to his feet and lunged at his sword. His fingers just brushed the handle when the minotaur grabbed him by the ankle and yanked him back.

"Let go!" he screamed, kicking at the human-looking hand. His heel broke the skin on the hand and the sickly green skin showed through the cut. Jay squirmed out of the grasp and reached for his sword, he managed to hook a finger around it as the minotaur grabbed him and threw him back again. He hit the punch-buggy hard, denting the side, and spat out a mouthful of blood.

He hurt all over and he felt as if the harpy had practically torn off the right side of his face. He wiped the blood out of his eye and forced it open. It stung, but he could see a lot better now. Jay pushed off the ground and into the air just as the minotaur pounded right through the car, right in the spot he'd just sat, the car spun across the parking lot and, seemingly by chance, collided with the harpy Neil had been fighting. She didn't get up. Jay brought his sword in an arc over his head and down onto the shaggy, dark-haired minotaur's head as he came down.

Hardly anything happened. Jay mostly broke the human skin, possibly making a cut into the true green skin of the minotaur. With a snarl it grabbed him by the front of the shirt and threw him to the ground. Jay rolled, trying to absorb the impact. He bit his lip badly and spat out more blood.

"You ah a ve'ly big annoa'ce, Child. Ah am ve'ly ang'ly now and vill enjoy vatching you suffa'," the minotaur hissed, ripping off the dangling pieces of human skin on its arms. His fangs were showing through his lips and the skin had started to bulge out on his temples, where his horns should be. He swung at Jay again, and Jay rolled to his left. The minotaur's monstrous hand just skimmed the bloody side of his face. A meaty finger hooked into his earring.

Jay's eyes widened in horror as the minotaur began laughing, curling his hand around Jay's ear for a better grip. Jay grabbed up his sword and swung it around to hack the minotaur's arm off, but the other hand caught his blade and wrenched it out of his hands. Eyes ablaze with malice it tightened its grip on his ear, fingernails digging into his head. Jay felt tears spring to his eyes as he tried to get his hands out of the minotaur's one hand, but there was nothing he could do. His eyes met the minotaur's at the beast jerked its hand.

And tore off the right side of Jay's face.

Jay screamed like he had never screamed before, his body was racked with pain. The minotaur's laughter became a cry of alarm as someone attacked it and he collapsed to the ground. Jay's hands flew to his bloody, mauled face as he continued screaming. There was blood everywhere. Everywhere!

He could hardly hear Theresa screaming. She fell to her knees beside Jay and pulled him into his arms as he screamed. His face was a mess and there was blood everywhere! She was sobbing and crying, out of her mind with horror. Archie was fighting the minotaur, who was still clutching the wet piece of Jay's scalp.

She needed to get Jay to her car. She needed to get to the school. They needed to get to Chiron. Jay needed help. There was blood all over her. Jay kept screaming. She opened her mouth to call Archie. He would know what to do. He would know.

A hand clamped over her mouth, "Don't talk to him, Theresa! He'll kill you!" Atlanta hissed. Archie was moving so fluidly, like quicksilver. Theresa felt a shiver go down her spine. Archie had snapped. Again.

Neil came up behind them, "Oh god, please don't tell me- I'm going to be sick! How did this- why?" he was babbling.

"Neil," Atlanta snapped, "help Theresa get Jay to the car. I'll have to take care of Archie!"

Neil didn't argue as he and Theresa grabbed Jay and dragged him to Theresa's car. It had managed to survive without much damage. Jay's screaming was starting to turn into sobs as he began losing consciousness. Theresa looked back at Atlanta, who shook her head and pointed to Archie, who was still fighting the minotaur. Her step-brother let out a chilling laugh.

"Herry and Odie are coming; I'll be fine- now go!" Atlanta shrieked over Jay's crying.

Theresa did as she was told and started the engine and drove away, almost running down the horrified crowd that had started gathering. In the distance, she could hear emergency sirens, only slightly droning out the pitiful cries from her Leader.

* * *

Well, when I was a child, my mom told me I had a 'Mommy-dot' on my forehead that glowed when I lied. So, being the brilliant young girl I was, I'd cover my Mommy-dot with my hand when I was in trouble so then she wouldn't know I was lying. As you can imagine, my mom proved smarter and seemed to know I was lying every time.

I still have to resist the urge to cover my forehead when I'm in trouble.

So yes, I did just maul Jay's face. And Archie has gone insane again. How will Theresa and Neil get Jay to Chiron when the school is being investigated- by the government no doubt? Will Jay even make it? Will Atlanta be able to hold off Archie on her own until Herry and Odie arrive- or will she be killed by her best friend?

And if you hate me forevermore because of this chapter, I think I will understand.

Stay tuned for next week.

Demenior


	6. Relations

Heroes Crusade: End of All Hope

Heroes Crusade: End of All Hope

Most characters fan-napped from: Class of the Titans

The rest are here from: My own mind and other places as will be noted in the future

Disclaimer: I don't own Class of the Titans

Warning: Blood. Crazy Archie. Jay acting very out of character. More blood. Crazy, _creeper_ Archie.

Authors Note: Hopefully, after the last chapter, you'll all pay a bit more attention to the warnings and my notes here. They allow you to prepare yourself for what comes next

Story Notes:

"Talking"

_Thinking_

/Phones/ walkie-talkies/ pmr's/ earpieces/ basically just mechanical devices/

-Thought speech-

00oo00oo scene/time/POV change

**Previously:**

Archie and Atlanta ran into some trouble at the mall and are on their way to the library when they see Jay, Theresa and Neil being attacked. Jay is brutally mauled by the minotaur, and one harpy was killed. Theresa and Neil rush Jay to the school so he can see Chiron, but the school is under watch from the police and the government, how will they get through? Meanwhile, Archie has gone insane again and Atlanta is going to have to fight him on her own when it took all six of them to stop him last time. Will she be able to stay alive? Will Herry and Odie arrive in time to help her?

* * *

"He was like a Greek hero in the sense that he had great virtues and great flaws, and the flaws finally did him in."  
N. Sheehan

**Relations**

_Hunting had always been a big part of her culture. Her dad hunted, her older brothers hunted, her uncle hunted and her grandfather still hunted with a sling, while sitting on the front porch. Everything had always been done to tradition in her little town. The women cooked, sewed, skinned the meat, looked after the hunters, cleaned the house and tended to the children. The boys hunted and were praised for being able to shoot a stick from a bent branch with string tied to it. Families lived together, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and siblings all living under one roof. That was the way it had always been done._

_And then Atlanta had come along, and she was different. She was loud, unlike the other girls, and fought with everyone- even the boys. She wasn't traditional. She was something new. And tradition abhors change. Atlanta would often come home sporting new bruises or cuts, but kept her mouth shut about any fights- unless she won them._

_The other hunters often complained to her father about their sons getting roughed up by the little girl and how he should teach her to behave properly. Her father would tell them that maybe they needed to toughen up their sons, or tell their sons to stop picking fights with girls. He would always scold her though; tell her that she shouldn't fight, that it wasn't right for girls to be like that. But that was who Atlanta was, and she would not bow to anyone. _

_There was one time when a group of boys told her that they'd show her how to hunt, and eagerly she agreed to meet them out in the woods. They led her on a wild goose chase that ended up with her getting lost, hoping that by the time the Hunters found her she would be sobbing and crying and never act different again. To their horror, the Hunters could not find her. They searched all night, with even the women calling for her, but there was no sign of the girl and after a time, no tracks to follow. What horrified them more was the fact that they found fresh cougar prints in the area._

_It was around midnight when they heard the cougar starting to yowl and roar and a bear bellowing in response. The Hunters were rushing in, expecting the worse. What they were shocked to find was the animal facing down the little girl, holding only a branch as a stick, but no sign of the bear. They chased the cat away quickly, arrows grazing it's haunches as it ran. Atlanta suffered only one scratch to her upper arm, which later became a large scar._

_Growing up, she was still expected to act lady-like, but the boys no longer troubled her. The Hunters often asked her if she'd seen a bear, and she told them the bear had saved her. But the bears in this region knew very well that to see a human meant death, and avoided them at all cost. Then, to fight a cougar to save a little girl, they knew she had to have been delirious .No bear would do such a thing. Thus it was left a mystery as to exactly how Atlanta had survived the cougar attack._

_Everyone frowned upon her when she dyed her hair red. Honestly, red hair? Everyone in the village had black or brown hair, and Atlanta already had pretty copper hair. But then she died it so brightly red you could always see her, no matter where she was. Her father and Mother stayed tight-lipped and frowned upon her decision, but could not make her change it back._

_While she was supposed to be doing chores, Atlanta often spied on the boys who were learning to hunt and how to use the weapons. At night she would sneak out of her home, as silent as the cougar that had hunted her, and would go practice with her fathers bow for the night, and return before anyone found it or her missing. She knew the night provided only a limited time, so her training was very focused and she grew in skill quickly until she could hit a bulls eye every time she shot. The bow offered some sort of freedom to her, and she took much strength from the moon._

_The boys were finally prepared to go on their first real hunt with the Hunters. Atlanta met them at the forest._

"_I'm coming," she told them. _

_They laughed at her, unbelieving. No woman had ever hunted before, and surely this one couldn't even use a bow._

_She held up the small bow she'd made in secret, much smaller than everyone else's bows, and her arrows were shorter and narrower. _

"_That bow is far too small to hunt. Besides, no woman has ever hunted, and neither will you," her father told her. Atlanta did not move, but the Hunters and the boys walked past her, and she turned and followed right behind them._

"_Didn't you hear? You can't come!" one of the boys shouted. The men turned to see her standing behind them._

"_I want to hunt. I can use a bow and this one works just as well as yours," she said flatly._

_Her father shook his head, "Atlanta, girls are not allowed to hunt. That's the way it's always been."_

"_So?" she told him, and marched right up to stand beside him, "I'm going to hunt with you today." Her brothers and the other men complained and told her to go away._

"_If you don't let me come with you, then I'll go on my own. I will hunt and I will bring something back today." She was deadest on going hunting, and they could all see that. Her father finally sighed,_

"_Very well, come if you wish. But if you ever want to hunt again, you must kill something today." The other boys were shocked, but the men knew that no hunter ever killed anything on their first hunt. This could all be forgotten soon enough._

_They moved silently through the woods, none more silent than Atlanta. She was like the air, leaving no tracks and disturbing no leaves. The boys sometimes stepped on a branch or twig, or rustled a bush. But save for her bright hair, it was almost impossible to tell where Atlanta was._

_She crept low to the ground, finding tracks in the dirt. A deer. Almost crawling on all fours, Atlanta moved away form the group, following the trail. She needed to make her first kill, her life depended on it. Stalking through the woods, Atlanta finally felt truly alive. She felt like a predator, looking for its prey. From nowhere came the thought of a cougar hunting a little girl. Atlanta shook her head and moved on._

_There was movement ahead. Atlanta crouched, her belly nearly dragging on the earth. She had found her deer. So slowly she might no have been moving, and without a sound, she drew an arrow in her bow. She just needed to make this shot…_

_As the cougar roared beside her, the deer sprang into flight and Atlanta was right behind it. What she had failed to realize was that the deer had been grazing on the edge of a deep ravine, and while it was ready to leap across, she wasn't. So she fell and when she hit the ground she nearly died. _

Theresa kept her foot flat to the floor of the car as she swerved through traffic. Her hands were slippery with wet blood and when she squeezed the wheel harder to keep her grip, it oozed between her fingers. Jay's blood.

"Oh my god his face," she hissed to herself, not daring to look in the review mirror to see Neil trying to use his shirt to apply pressure to the wound. His designer shirt was now red and black. Jay was still sobbing; his crying sounding something more like a wounded animal than a human. Theresa felt sick. She felt disgusted. Most of all, she realized she felt afraid. More afraid than she'd ever been in her life.

Horns blared at her, and her eyes narrowed. She hadn't realized she was crying until then, when her vision became blurred through the tears that were lost to the wind. They hadn't a chance to fall upon her face, which was why she hadn't realized. She flipped her head to toss her bangs out of her eyes, and swung around another car. The driver shouted, waving a fist out their window, at her. _They don't understand_, she had to tell her herself as violet sparks flashed around her fingers, _they don't know_.

If Neil was saying anything to Jay, trying to comfort him in any way possible, she couldn't hear. His words behind her were lost to the wind that roared in her ears. Once or twice Theresa thought she may have heard sirens coming after them, but she couldn't be bothered to look for them. One false move at this speed and they were all dead. She tried to keep her thoughts on the road, to not think about anything else. But Jay, Neil, Archie, Atlanta, Herry and Odie, and again, Jay, continued haunting her mind. Was Atlanta okay? Had Odie and Herry arrived in time to save her or had she blindly rushing in to fight Archie herself, without help. If she had then she… Theresa found herself thinking about Jay to avoid answering herself.

"Theresa!" Neil had leaned up to shout in her ear. Her eyes widened in shock as she saw the long line-up at the four-way. She couldn't get them through there, fancy driving or not. It was too long to wait, for Jay's sake. There wasn't enough room to break. No time. No time.

Neil didn't have a chance to grab on to anything, to dig his fingernails into with worry and fear and the knowledge that he was probably going to die. He was sure he screamed. Sometime or other. Jay was mostly delirious with pain, crying and sobbing and shaking and babbling nonsense in his arms. Neil hadn't wondered what lay under his bloody shirt. Many people on the sidewalks had stopped to stare at the speeding car with the distraught red-head and the topless boy in the back with bloodstains on his face and chest. Neil held Jay tightly; his Leader had originally been shaking and twisting in the backseat, unable to regain the calm and stoic mask that has been so brutally torn away.

Jay hissed something, shivering as if he was unbearably cold. His tears were mixing with the blood on his face. He was noticeably paler, and if Neil knew anything, he knew pale was bad. For looks and for your health.

"Atropos, Atropos. Cut it, I've got a coin this time," Jay whined pathetically, his death-grip on Neil's arm tightened. Neil bit his lip to keep from commenting on the discomfort he was feeling, Jay was definitely in more pain. He'd never seen the descendant of Jason so… so defeated.

Neil felt a tingling sensation go through the car and pass into his body. For a moment the glazed look in Jay's eyes seemed to clear, and he started to say something, but Neil didn't hear. He tried looking forwards, trying to see past Theresa's brilliant glowing. The cars in front of them, both lines, became outlined in violet and, with groans of protest from the metal, suddenly flew to the sides of the road, some crashing against each other with minor dents and some smashed windows. People were starting to scream, panic filling them as it finally dawned on them that they were now in the middle of a supernatural event they'd been reading about in the papers.

Jay let out a loud moan, broken up by sobs, and Neil held him tighter. Theresa slumped in her seat more as they got through the four-way, drained but not as much as she would have been a long time ago, when she'd first begun experimenting with her powers. They had to make it to the school, Neil looked down at Jay's weak form in his arms, there was no other choice.

00oo00oo

The harpy was quick to fly away. After Archie had thrown the minotaur to the ground and was easily defeating it with amazing twists, turns, kicks and punches, she decided that she didn't want any part of it. The minotaur was soon to follow, limping and bellowing while grasping at the long cow-shaped nose protruding from its face that Archie had most likely broken.

Archie stood slowly, looking around for some other competitor. When no one called to him, he turned to the panic-stricken crowd staring with wide eyes. His strides were slow, yet deliberate. They were unable to run from him, wondering if he were hero or villain. Like sheep they were, tame and stupid. How easy it would be to slaughter them all.

"Archie!"

Archie whipped around and his grey-blue eyes locked on the redhead he'd rushed into battle with only minutes earlier.

"Leave them alone!" Atlanta snarled, taking a low stance, "there's no need to hurt anyone." She was recalling all that the gods had told them. Don't show him fear. Don't show him hesitation, don't give him an opening but don't attack him first. Don't show him frustration, and most of all, never show him despair.

Archie's eyes narrowed as he studied her, he didn't speak for a moment.

"You say there's no point in me hurting anyone, yet you take a fighting stance," he called. It was more a statement than question. Atlanta suppressed a shudder, he sounded just like Archie- _Normal _Archie- but horribly, strikingly different.

Archie took a step towards her and Atlanta tensed. A grin flickered on the edges of his mouth. Atlanta shuddered, but kept herself from taking a step back. Everything the gods had told them to be conscious of when fighting Archie was running through her mind. _"Don't show fear, that's exactly what he wants. Don't hesitate or he'll kill you. If you call for help he'll slit your throat." _Archie was only a few paces away now, looking down at her. He stood casually, but Atlanta could see that his whole body was tensed, ready to spring in any direction at any moment.

Archie's eyes narrowed and a grim smile came to his face as he moved forwards. Atlanta tensed further, and held her ground. She was counting on being able to dodge whatever plans were going through his mind.

"Tell me, Atlanta, are you _afraid _of me?" Archie asked. He was close enough now that she could clearly see into his deranged eyes.

"Of course not, Archie, you're still my friend. I know you don't want to hurt me," she replied, all the while forcing herself to keep her voice level.

"Don't want to?" he laughed at that, "oh, my dear Atlanta, I am very much going to enjoy cutting you up and hearing you scream."

Atlanta was only saved by the fact that she could move as fast as she saw, because suddenly Archie was in front of her and there was a blade to her throat and it would have killed her had she not thrown herself backwards. It was one of Archie's throwing blades, of course, kept closed so it was more like a dagger. There wasn't enough time to give herself credit for saving her life, because Archie was already upon her again.

She turned and twisted and dove. Scrambling to stay one step ahead. To stay alive. And Archie laughed the whole time. Their dance came to a halt momentarily, when he cut her arm and she kicked him in the stomach. They sprang back and kept their eyes locked. Archie licked the blade that had cut her. Atlanta nearly growled at him.

"You're fighting well," he grinned, licking his lips, "but can you keep it up? You know you can't beat me, so just run away Atlanta."

Atlanta kept herself from bolting, "Never! I don't run away from a fight!"

For a moment Atlanta almost did flee as Archie broke into a run at her, "Good!" she heard him say.

Atlanta knew better than to throw herself into him, like she usually preferred, because Archie would simply turn his blade and impale her and gut her using her own momentum. She dove to the side and tried to run around a car to put something between them. In the limited space and time, she wasn't able to get up to her full speed, but thankfully Archie needed a moment to change his direction. She was racking her brain, trying to think of how she would be able to knock Archie out, when she head him land on the car behind her.

"Honestly, Atlanta. You make things so difficult." She whirled around as she heard him leap off the car, and just missed losing her ear to his blade. When she tried to run, he grabbed her by the arm and threw her against the car.

She grit her teeth and snatched for her bolos, but Archie's hand grabbed her shoulder and pushed her roughly against the car again and he slammed his blade beside her face, just cutting her cheek. Atlanta heard the window she was pressed against crack.

"I thought you were fast, Atlanta," the way he said her name reminded her of someone savoring a sweet taste, "or did you just want to be caught?"

Her cheek stung, and his hand on her shoulder was like iron, but white-hot and it seemed to burn her through her shirt. He left his blade embedded in the car, still cutting into her cheek, and his hand grabbed her wrist while she was trying to discreetly reach her bolos again.

"If you cry, Atlanta, I'll snap your neck so you won't feel much," Archie whispered, smiling at her. He was close enough to her that she could feel his hot breath on her skin.

She narrowed her eyes, "I don't cry, Archie. I _won't _cry for you, ever." In truth, she was just barely keeping her knees from knocking and fighting back tears that wanted to run down her face. What was _happening_ to her?

"Good," Archie leaned in close enough that his lips were practically touching hers, "I prefer to break you. I'm sure you scream as beautifully as you look, Atlanta." Atlanta clamped her eyes shut. He was so close! She couldn't keep her mind from thinking that this was what she'd always wanted.

"Don't kid yourself," she hissed back at him, "I won't ever bend to anyone's will. Besides, I'm not that beautiful." Her cheek stung and she could feel warm blood beginning to trickle down towards her chin. Where were Herry and Odie? That should be here by now. She was going to die!

"Oh, but you are, Atlanta. You have no idea how long I've wanted to hold you. I've desired you since the day we met," he was so close, he was going to drive _her_ insane. She wanted to kiss him, just to know what it felt like, and he kept whispering into her lips, "I can't wait to have you at my feet begging for death. I'm sure your blood will taste-"

Odie's laptop cracking over Archie's head sent him flying to the pavement. Archie was already twisting, coiling to lunge back at Odie and strangle him, but Herry came in behind Odie and, grabbing Archie by the head, threw him onto the pavement again. Archie was knocked out on impact. Atlanta pulled herself away from the blade and the car and took a shaky step forwards, and then her legs gave out and she fell. Odie caught her while Herry was making sure Archie wasn't still awake or too badly hurt.

"Are you alright, Atlanta?" Odie asked quickly.

She forced a grin for him, "Of course I am. Just… tired. Thanks for coming, but I could have used you guys earlier."

Odie smiled back at her, and it was completely sane and normal, "Sorry, but we had to fight through the crowd. I'm shocked that Archie didn't hear us running at you two though, he was… captivated by you." He finished quietly, trying not to comment on the way Atlanta and Archie had been standing. How Atlanta still could have used her free hand to punch him or use her wrist-bow, but didn't.

"I know," she admitted. Odie tried to help her to her feet. But she got up on her own. Herry already had Archie cradled in his arms. For the first time Atlanta realized she could hear police sirens, and close too.

"C'mon, let's hurry and get out of here," she called, running for Herry's big truck and trying to pretend that she wasn't a little disappointed that Herry and Odie had shown up.

00oo00oo

The tires squealed and smoked as Theresa swerved around the corner. The school was only a few minutes away. Her mind was only vaguely aware of driving, and she was sensing the objects in her path and forcing others out of the way with her mind. She could feel her energy plummeting, could hear Neil shouting at her to hurry. She could hear Jay crying and could just taste the pain he was feeling. It made her mind reel.

_-Miss Persephone! Miss Persephone!-_ she reached out, trying to find her mentor. She could feel unfamiliar minds inside the school, not near the gods, but they would be a problem. She didn't know if she could handle them by herself.

_-Miss Persephone, please!-_ Theresa felt a brush of her mentors mind, and she focused all of her fear and anxiety into it. She tried to send her desperation, her need for help. She had a strong connection to Persephone, but she'd never tried connecting to her while trying to drive at a lethal speed either.

"Theresa- police!" Neil's shout managed to break through her thoughts.

She could feel them, their want to keep others safe and their unease about the strange things that had been happening around the car they were chasing. Theresa's eyes narrowed to the point they were nearly closed, and she focused her mind on the wheels of the cars behind her.

_Stop_ she told them, _just stop. Don't skid, don't flip_ she willed. She hadn't meant for that first squad to end in a pile-up. She'd forgotten what happened when your wheels locked at this speed. No, she re-focused her mind, don't let your thoughts wander.

She heard a loud screech, like nails on a chalkboard, and sent another thought to stop the cars dead. Unfortunately, she was too weak to do something that large, but she slowed them enough that. Many of the cops, trying to regain control of their vehicle, swerved and wound up crashing into each other. No one should have died. She hoped.

_-Theresa! Theresa!-_

Theresa nearly drove the car into a building when she jumped.

_-Miss Persephone, Jay's hurt! We need help! I'm almost at the school!-_

"He's not looking too good Theresa, I don't think he'll stay awake much longer!"

_-Hurry Theresa, I'll be there-_ Persephone instructed into her mind, and then Theresa rounded the corner and there was the school. And it was surrounded by police cars, armored cars, cops, men in combat attire, officials dressed in suits and they were patrolling all over the school.

Because of that man on the news, Theresa reminded herself. All heads had turned towards her car and men were going for their guns, cops racing for their cars. She couldn't see Persephone anywhere. She spun the wheel as hard as she could, slamming on the brakes, and skidded into the parking lot. All of the minds around her were confused and alarmed and suspicious. She felt their commanded to halt rather than heard them, but she couldn't stop now.

Nearly kicking open her door, she leapt out and was reaching for the back door when she felt the horror flash through one mind as he fired a bullet. On instinct alone, Theresa's mind lashed out, striking that man's mind and capturing the bullet. She felt it only inches from her person when it fell to the ground. Somewhere a voice screamed as the man collapsed, clutching his head.

Two old minds stepped out of the air beside Theresa. She knew who they were, and what they were. She could taste the age and sweetness of immortality in their minds, and she felt Persephone's familiar mind lay a gentle thought over hers, and she let go of her trance. She came back into the physical world with a start, the voices that were muted before were now a hundred times louder, and the colors a thousand times more vibrant. She clutched her own head in pain as her mind tossed and turned; trying to leave behind the psychic trance she'd been in.

Hera, worry and fright and horror clearly painted across her aged face, was remaining calm as she all but snatched Jay from Neil's arms and clutched the boy to herself. Jay clung to her, and already there was blood staining her white robe, and he was still crying, that horrible pained sound that was too weak to be a shriek but too macabre to be a sob. In one instant both he and Hera were standing before them, the next they were gone.

Persephone's hair nearly stood on end and her skin took on a blue tinge, while the sound of a rumbling thunder echoed in Theresa's ears and the men around them were all taking hands to their temples and some fainted. She grabbed Theresa and held her up as she led them to the school.

"Hurry, get inside. It's alright now, Theresa, you made it. Chiron will take care of him. It'll be alright."

The three of them rushed into the janitor's closet and slammed the creaky door shut behind them.

* * *

So they made it to the school. Atlanta was saved, but what is going to happen to her and Archie's relationship? How is Jay going to cope- and will he even survive the injury? What new problems arise with their coming to the school in such a manor? Stay tuned.

Demenior


	7. Words

Heroes Crusade: End of All Hope

Most characters fan-napped from: Class of the Titans

The rest are here from: My own mind and other places as will be noted in the future

Disclaimer: I don't own Class of the Titans

Warning: Much angst. A character with a death wish. Turns out Odie may not be as innocent as we thought.

Story Notes:

"Talking"

_Thinking_

//Phones/ walkie-talkies/ pmr's/ earpieces/ basically just mechanical devices//

-Thought speech-

00oo00oo scene/time/POV change

* * *

**Previously**:

Theresa and Neil were able to get Jay to the school, and now he's in the hands of Hera and Chiron. At what cost did this come at though? There were many people there to see Theresa and Neil's faces, and see the effect of the magic that Hera, Persephone and Theresa used. What will happen at the school now? Will Jay pull through, or is this the end for the Leader? Meanwhile, Archie and Atlanta fought and Archie clearly displayed his feelings for her, and also wanted to torture her. Odie and Herry came in time to save her, and now with an unconscious Archie and the police closing in, what is going to happen to them? And just how well will Cronus take the news that none of the children are officially dead?

* * *

A man of genius makes no mistakes. His errors are volitional and are the portals of discovery. ~James Joyce, _Ulysses_

* * *

**Words**

_He was brilliant. A child prodigy who would change the world. Adults adored him and praised him and he could do no wrong in their eyes. But he was lonely. Ever so lonely._

_Odie was the new name he had now, but once upon a time he was born David. But that was all old memories, useless memories to Odie. All Odie needed were David' memories, not his voice._

_David grew up alone. There were many faces he knew, so many people who he considered his closest friends, the greatest family one could imagine. But David was lonely. His best friend, his only love, was himself. No one understood him, the ache in his heart that made him sit and tinker with things, that caused him to sit online and learn. There was a hunger to try and fill the void. He satisfied it with knowledge. _

_Experiments were his drug, and he couldn't stop. No matter how hard he tried, he always had to ask a 'what if' and try it out. He had to mess around, to try new things. And this included his peers, his friends, his family, too._

_He was raised grades too quickly for any child, to a point where the age difference made it impossible for him to make any friends. He didn't understand the games they played with him, how they seemed to know what to say to have people do certain things or get the right outcomes. He didn't understand why he was always left behind in their schemes._

_But David was a fast learner. He learned their games, their systems. And he ruled them. He twisted things, turned people, spurred emotions. He controlled everything, but no one knew that. He could predict things, try them, and see the results. But the teachers saw. They knew what was going on, and they removed him._

_His own family, damaged beyond repair already, let him go off to relatives to start fresh. He was put in an advanced class, of kids more his age, closer to his brilliance, but still nowhere near. He turned them on each other too. They were simple, and he watched behind a cool face that he wore as a mask. _

_As time went on, moving from school to school and from family to family, leaving a trail of destruction that no one could really point to him, David found he liked a few things in life. His technology, his smarts, and power. Those were the essentials for him, and no one could take any of those away._

_But he was so lonely. Wrapped in the world he created for himself, he longed for someone to push through and touch him. He wanted to be cared for. He wanted to have someone. But he didn't know how._

_How could he be genuine to someone when all he knew was manipulating? He tried, he tried to hard to leave some places alone, but the temptation was too great and his will too weak and he destroyed them all for what they'd done to him. For being so trusting. So open. Everything he wanted to be._

_David was moved into a boarding school for juvenile delinquents. They treated him like the trash he was, and he hated it. He destroyed that school inside-out, and no one was left unscathed. From the lowest grade to the top of staff, they all cried at night and trembled when he passed. He took great delight in tormenting them, all of them._

_Then he pressed a girl too far. He wanted someone, _anyone_, and decided she was perfect to break through to him. So he tricked her into relationships with him, tricked her into being with him and into thinking she loved him. At least, on the surface it was like that. David was there, in that dark room with her, when she took the gun from her purse and shot herself through the temple screaming '_I'm free!_' and laughing. And David had just stared at the body and said, _

"_Interesting." _

_He'd almost gone to jail. But he'd learned. He knew better. He was passed off as innocent and relocated under the Juvenile Relocation program, where he took on a new identity and left his old mistakes behind. Not too far behind; he needed to learn from them. But the mind was something he longed to explore again. And now, Odie, who had never felt fear in his life behind David's cunning, was afraid of having to hear that laugh again. To see that glee. _

_He never pressed into those unknown areas of affection again. Those were waters Odie dared not swim. At least, not yet. Not until he knew more._

_Deep down, David would not lie quiet. He laughed and ranted, whispering to Odie what Odie should do, what he should say, sometimes controlling his actions. Odie hid him behind lively green glasses, afraid to take them off and see David behind them. David was a madman now, unpractical and rambling. Odie was collected. Odie was calm and smart. Odie had friends now, others who had broken the barrier he'd created around himself. He didn't need David anymore. Didn't need to talk to him, alone, in his room for hours anymore._

_Yet every time he looked in a mirror David brushed through his thoughts. _

_No one ever asked about the glass in Odie's fingers when his mirror shattered that night. After her death had come up in a chat, on the internet, and on the news Odie retreated to his room. It had been haunting him, and David laughed and laughed and laughed. No one ever asked about the glass in Odie's fingers at all. _

_As deep as friends could get, Odie kept that little part of himself cut off from everyone, and it was one part he never wanted anyone to see._

Theresa was the first to realize the others had arrived. Still returning to _normal_ senses, she felt their minds, all in a panic, as they came hurtling down the hallway.

"Where's Jay?" Odie shouted, rushing ahead of Herry and Atlanta. Archie's hoodie had been tied around him like a straightjacket and there was a binding around his ankles. He was still as limp as a doll in Herry's arms, but Athena- stepping out of the air as only the gods did- still acted as if he were wide awake as she took Herry down the hall to another room.

Odie opened his mouth to restate his question when a fresh wail came from behind the closed door to Chiron's study. It was Jay. Hera and Chiron's raised voices came through, telling him to calm down and that it was all going to be better soon. Jay screamed for a while longer and then they subsided into loud sobs.

Odie's eyes widened, "He's still _awake_!"

There was horror on all their faces, all staring at the carved oak decorated with gold. The design was of swirling leaves and vines. Theresa supposed it was meant to be calming, but it made her feel sick. And not just her, she could feel that everyone around her was ready to kneel over and throw up. Except Persephone, whose mind remained calm, showing only the smallest strain.

"If he passes out now, his life thread will probably be cut. Atropos is quite ready to take any chance to pull out the scissors on him, after he escaped her last time," Persephone's voice was neutral, stating a fact. She remained seated upright with her back straight and her eyes were the only ones not entirely focused on the doors.

That didn't really help. The cold breath of fear was strong in everyone's minds and now it took a firmer hold in their thoughts. Theresa wished she could say, could _do_ something to help, but her fear was one of the greatest in the room.

Odie sat down beside Neil, face trying to take on a calm look but he was failing. Neil, still shirtless, was shaking and had his blue eyes trained on the door, though he had his golden mirror out to try and comfort himself. Atlanta's steps were heavy, and her eyes moved from the large doors to the hall which Archie had been rushed down as she walked over to Theresa.

The relief that Atlanta was still alive hit Theresa as the younger sat down beside her. She threw her arms around Atlanta and hugged her tightly. Atlanta was tense a moment before patting Theresa's arm gently and shrugging out of the hug.

"I- I'm okay, Therri, really. Odie and Herry got to us right away," she mumbled, looking down at her feet.

"Actually, we were almost too late," Herry said softly as he re-entered the room, his voice was a low rumble in the silence. Odie nodded slowly, and Theresa turned to look Atlanta in the face. Atlanta looked up briefly, and Theresa saw the cut on her face.

"Atlanta- when did he… he did do that, didn't he," she turned Atlanta's face to see the cut better. Just a ways below her eye level, it ran straight across her cheek and the blood from it had trailed down to her chin before drying. Theresa gave Atlanta another once-over, and found another cut almost parallel to the scar from Cronus's scythe on her arm.

"Ms. Persephone, could you do anything for these?" Theresa turned to look at her mentor. The stoic blonde turned her head to look, and Theresa felt the brush of Persephone's mind as she inspected the cuts and sewed them together. To everyone else, it would appear that the wounds had just closed up while Persephone remained on the opposite side of Theresa from Atlanta, but Theresa could feel- _taste_ was a better feeling, but not quite the right word- the thought and energy that went into it. She tried to store those away so that she might be able to use them next time.

Atlanta touched her face and looked at her arm, goosebumps on her skin now. She licked her thumb and tried rubbing away the blood on her cheek.

"What do you mean, 'almost too late'?" Theresa thought aloud. Odie and Herry lifted their heads to look up at the three women.

"Well…" Herry fidgeted nervously, "when we got there they… I mean Archie was… well Atlanta…"

Odie shook his head, giving Herry's knee a pat as he took command of the talk, and Atlanta seemed to shrink beside Theresa, "When we got there, Archie has Atlanta pinned to a car with a knife in her face," he nodded to the blood Atlanta was still scrubbing off, "and… they were about this far apart." Odie held up two fingers, so close they almost looked like they were touching. Theresa's eyes widened and she looked to the younger girl beside her.

Atlanta kept her face down and wiped hard at the blood on her face. All eyes were on her and no one spoke. Jay continued sobbing behind the heavy oak doors. Theresa brought a hand up to touch Atlanta's shoulder, but pulled back. Her friend's mind tasted… of pain. Inside, Atlanta was crying. Theresa reached in to try and sooth her, and with a shock found something hiding underneath the shame. Atlanta was pleased. Atlanta was giddy, excited even, that she and Archie had been so close. The feelings wove a blurred picture in Atlanta's mind of Archie leaning so close Theresa could smell him, and she could feel Atlanta's heart beat faster.

Atlanta jerked her head so fast that Theresa jumped, and she was hurled from the redhead's mind violently. Without a word, Atlanta stood up and stalked off down the hallway. Towards where Herry had taken Archie. Odie rose and followed her. No one stopped him. Theresa shut her mind off from everyone, bringing her knees to her chest and tried to stay strong for the others as Jay's cries rose again into screams.

00oo00oo

Odie followed Atlanta until they had turned down the hall to where Archie was being kept. The huntress stopped and turned to face him. Her eyes were bright with unshed tears, but they looked out of place on a strong face like hers. _David_ knew that face. She was crying inside, but she was trying to be tough on the outside. All he needed was one good smash and her shell would shatter. Odie pushed the thought aside and walked right up to her. Their faces were close to eye-level, though he had to stand a little straighter to glare directly into her eyes.

"Why?" she snarled.

"Why what, Atlanta?" Odie settled back on his heels. He'd come prepared to attack her, but this was a whole new game. His mind was already changing his tactics, David whispering behind almost every thought.

"You know why! Why did you tell them?" her teeth were clenched, supposedly in anger. But her lip quivered and she was forcing herself not to shake. _She's almost done, and we haven't even tried!_ David told him. Odie kept his face straight; Atlanta didn't have the knowledge to know anything was going on behind his glasses.

"Atlanta, this is serious. If Herry and I hadn't arrived in time, you would have been really, _really_ hurt. You're getting far too intimate with Archie and it's going to get you, at best, killed." The truth hurt. Even as plain as this was. The water in Atlanta's eyes seemed to increase, but she didn't wipe any away and didn't shed a tear. She screwed her face tight, pretending to be thinking, to control her temper, but she was waiting for the tears to pass.

"We both know if you two get too close you're the one who's going to get hurt, Atlanta. That's why Archie won't date you, and yet you keep tormenting him! You need to leave him alone Atlanta, because you're one of the main reasons that make him loose it!" He was back on his toes, glaring down his nose at her.

Atlanta drew beck, shocked. Her eyes were wide with disbelief, and Odie almost saw a tear slip out, but she shook her head.

"Archie is my _friend_, Odie! I don't know about the rest of you, but everyone suddenly seems so upset and scared that he's going to knife them in the back the second they blink. I don't! I trust him with my life!"

"And for that he'll probably be the one to end it!" Odie stepped closer, backing Atlanta into the wall. Intimidation was so barbaric, but it did seem to be working right now, "Archie is _my_ friend too, and I won't stand aside and watch you destroy him because you can't look past yourself. Stay away from him, Atlanta, stay away if you know what's good for you!"

Atlanta drew herself up, it was her last defense. She was a wild animal trapped in a corner, and her claws and fangs couldn't hurt him, "Are you _threatening_ me, Odie? Let me tell you, I've fought giants and gods and monsters and never once have I been afraid, and you're _not_ going to push me around-"

"Atlanta," he said sharply, _For the kill. Break her! Break her!_ David cried, "stop being a little girl. Grow up. We all have to make sacrifices, and you're better to Archie by staying away from him."

"I'll be with him if I want to-"

"If you do I'll ruin you," a cold sensation swept over Odie and he could feel David _stepping_ into him, "and you know I can. I'll make it so unbearable for you to stay that you'll beg to leave, Atlanta. You'll fall to your knees before me and beg to leave. I'll make you afraid of your own shadow." He towered above her now, shouting, and he could feel the grin on his lips, the sneer marring his face. She was so afraid! He licked his lips, it had been too long since he'd put his mind to any _good_ use.

"Y-you can't do that. I don't care how smart you think you are Odie, I won't be brought into your little mind wars. You can't bully me around!" she was starting to rise, pulling herself back together.

David handed Odie the knife and he leaned into Atlanta's face, peering into her wet eyes over his glasses. His final words were flat and cold, sharper then any steel.

"I'll make Archie hate you."

He didn't wait to see any more then the terror that overtook her eyes, and as she started trembling he turned and walked away. Odie couldn't keep the grin off his face. He felt relaxed, finally, after trying to deny all the knowledge he'd worked up over the years. You couldn't suppress that. He heard Atlanta slide to the floor behind him, and as he turned the corner, leaving her sight, he heard her start to sob.

As he left, he tried to keep his hands from covering his ears. It was simple logic, he couldn't block out that sound he hated more of all. It was simply part of him, his price for his genius.

David cackled like a madman as Odie left Atlanta lying on the floor.

00oo00oo

Atlanta prided herself for never crying over a broken nail or bad hair and especially a boy. She threw all that pride out the window as she sunk to the floor and felt the tears in her eyes spill out. Now she was sobbing. She hadn't known how strongly Archie held her until she was threatened never to have him. It was unfair! She had never cried over a boy before, never! She and Archie had never even kissed, never dated and never been a couple. And he was the boy she cried for. It hurt inside to try thinking of a life without him. To think of him hating her made the tears worse.

She never got in those manipulative fights, and now Odie had fully declared a war on her. Odie of all people! It wasn't her fault! It was Odie, thinking he could push them around because he was smart, because he knew how to mess with people's heads. And that's all he was doing.

She wouldn't let him do that to her. Atlanta wasn't pushed around by anyone and no one threatened her either. She was here to visit Archie, and that was what she was going to do. Odie couldn't change the way she felt about Archie, no matter how many big words he used. She got up and went to the door.

00oo00oo

There wasn't as much pain as the first time, his muscles had gotten stronger since then, but he still cried out as he woke up. His wrists and ankles were bound and it took Archie a moment to remember what he'd done. To Atlanta. If he'd hurt her… Archie couldn't suppress the distraught moan at the thought. Athena's calm face appeared over him.

"A-Athena, what did… is she okay? Please tell me I didn't hurt her t-to much, please!" his voice sounded rough, and his head was throbbing, but Athena nodded slowly.

"Atlanta's okay, she was with the others when I was there," the goddess leaned over him and undid the bindings. Archie sat up slowly, twisting his wrists and ankles to get the feeling back into them. He'd lost his sanity… again. Everything had been going so great! Then he'd messed it all up. He almost wanted to cry, and felt chilled to the bone when he found it difficult to touch on the area of remorse.

"Athena," he whispered, "I'm going crazy faster then anyone in my family. They're all old and graying, with a grown family before they lose it…"

"It's the fighting," she said quietly, moving to sit beside him, "this fighting, this war with Cronus is making it happen faster."

Archie hid his face in his hands, trying to hunch without looking like he was hiding from Athena's gray eyes, "Athena… I-I'm a danger to everyone like this. I'm going to hurt everyone I care about! I… please… kill me Athena. I'm better off dead!"

Athena shook her head slowly, "I can't do that, child. If you wish to die- you need the courage to do it yourself, or out on the battlefield-"

"But I can't! I… I made a promise, to my mom, after my dad… when he… I promised her I'd do my best to live as long as I could, and that I'd never put myself in deaths way purposely. Please Athena, do everyone a favor and just kill me here, right now!" when Athena turned her face away, Archie's voice broke as he begged, "please Athena, please!"

Outside, Atlanta pulled herself away from the doors with a sob and ran away with a hand clamped over her mouth and tears in her eyes.

* * *

A little more insight into Archie's family, and Archie's life. Everyone's got secrets and motives, and they're all mostly working for the better. In their own way.

So to sum it up, Odie is the new name and identity that the boy, David, took on after he was involved (read: caused) in the suicide of a classmate. Odie is like a whole new person who is trying to forget the madman that David was/is, but David is like the darkness inside his very soul and refuses to stay quiet for long. It must've been so lonely growing up a genius.

And what Odie did to Atlanta isn't necessarily right, but he's trying to protect his best buddy, Archie, from going crazy too early. And Odie can see the simple truth that a lot of the strain on Archie's emotions comes from his crush on Atlanta and, now that she knows, she's causing more strain by trying to make them a couple when he's trying to push her away to keep her safe. Especially now that Insane!Archie seems to have a big interest in Atlanta.

Jay is in recovery, and here's hoping he'll make it through.

Thank you for your reviews and feedback! I'll see you all at the next installment of 'Heroes Crusade: End of All Hope'

Demenior


	8. Disappointment

Heroes Crusade: End of All Hope

Most characters fan-napped from: Class of the Titans

The rest are here from: My own mind and other places as will be noted in the future

Disclaimer: I don't own Class of the Titans

Warning: Yet another traumatic childhood.

Authors Note: In response to the beginning, I know Herry is a germaphobe, but bear with me and you'll see how it all plays out. And remember, in the very first chapter, how the speaker says they were all '_socially inadequate_' and how they '_grew up rather isolated_', this is another account of bad it was. We saw a bit with Theresa, Odie, insight to Atlanta's natural tendency to break rules and traditions, and Jay's childhood- where his only source of entertainment was a toy boat and his own imagination. I'm hoping, with those insights, to bring a little more depth to the characters they become in the course of this story. And, I want to make a note that in the next chapter we'll learn that Neil was an actor- but a lot of that ties into the 'beginning' of the 'real' chapter.

Story Notes:

"Talking"

_Thinking_

//Phones/ walkie-talkies/ pmr's/ earpieces/ basically just mechanical devices//

-Thought speech-

00oo00oo scene/time/POV change

* * *

**Previously:**

Theresa and Neil arrived at the school and now Jay is in the care of Chiron and Hera, and if it was a struggle to stay alive before, he'll have to fight for all he's worth now. Odie's darker self has left Atlanta crying and she is caught between her own pride and the one person she realizes she really cares about and we learnt that Archie wants to die.

* * *

"If you're an underdog, mentally disabled, physically disabled, if you don't fit in, if you're not as pretty as the others, you can still be a hero."

Steve Guttenberg

* * *

**Disappointment**

_Growing up is always a process of trial an error. His errors usually meant he did poorly on a test, or he hurt someone terribly. Herbert John Fraser was already a name to be mocked, and his different way of learning and nature only led to more abuse. Herry can still recall the day he realized what a monster he truly was._

_The good kids always got the swings, while he'd go sit alone in the sandbox on the edge of the playground and try to make friends with the worms he dug up, or the birds he'd try and feed the worms to. It was a way of taking his mind off his loneliness. No one wanted to play with a stupid kid like him. He still spelt his 'e's backwards and couldn't add numbers very well and subtracting made his head hurt. He had trouble reading and had to slowly go through the books that kindergarteners read easily, while everyone else was reading the same books the Big Kids were. _

_He'd sat at that sandbox every day for all his years in school, and sat in the corner every day in class. He was the last to get picked for anything and was always getting scolded for daydreaming. But not today, today he'd convinced himself- with some supportive wiggling from the worms- that he'd go on a swing and then maybe the other kids would like him. Especially if he went really high._

_He was nervous as he strode to the swings, but he made himself look tough, like he belonged. He tried to keep his broad shoulders from hunching up. The others kids whispered and looked at him as he came up to the swings. He had to wait in line, like everyone else. But they wouldn't let him have a turn!_

_Herry waited for someone to offer him a swing, and many of the kids had gone on two, even three times, before he made an attempt to grab a swing. A girl a grade above his took the swing and pretended he wasn't there as she started rocking back and forth. When he went for another one, a boy in his class dove on it, sneered at him, and then gave the swing to his friend. Herry started feeling very bad inside, and wondered if he should go back to the sandbox. The swings looked like too much fun though, and the longing to be accepted was too great. _

_He grabbed the chain of a swing the same time another boy from his class, Isaac, who had nearly white hair and big blue eyes, grabbed the other chain. Isaac went to sit down but Herry beat him to it._

"_It's my turn now," he told him. Isaac's face contorted into a scowl and he stomped his foot into the gravel._

"_No it's not- I got the swing first! You took it from me you meanie!"_

_Herry frowned at him, "No! I got it- it's my turn!"_

_Without warning, Isaac leapt forwards and shoved Herry out of the swing. He hit the ground hard and had to gasp for breath. There were tears in his eyes as he saw Isaac sticking his tongue out at him and Herry felt a boiling hot rage in his belly. He roared, like the bears on TV, and leapt at Isaac. They punched and bit and scratched at each other and screamed and called each other names and Herry's rage continued boiling and frothing and bubbling inside of him and nothing was stopping it._

_He was so angry! Angry at Isaac, for being pushed over, for being excluded, for that girl taking the swing from him, because his parents treated him worse then the kids did, and he was so angry at himself. For being a stupid, stupid boy._

_Then there were hands grabbing at him and tearing him away from Isaac and Herry was so angry he shoved one of the teachers and they sailed backwards and then he realized his hands were wet. And then he saw Isaac and saw what he, Herry, had done to him and saw the blood on his hands and on the gravel and heard the kids around him screaming and there was blood on his face and he'd made Isaac bleed. He had hurt him. In Herry's mind he had killed Isaac, killed another boy. And suddenly the blood on his hands, on his shirt, on his face was burning. And he started screaming and crying and trying to wipe it off. He kept trying to wipe that horrible stuff off, but it only spread across his skin more._

_He never learned what had become of Isaac, whether he really had killed him or not, because within the next few days Herry found himself on the doorstep of a run-down house in a city he'd never heard of, to live with a grandmother he'd never met as his parents drove away with only parting whispers of 'good riddance' and 'hopefully he'll learn how to be a normal person'. He tried not to cry, but as the high-pitched voice told him to open the door himself, and he obeyed but broke the doorknob off the door in his haste, Herry started crying all over again._

_He was so afraid to touch the old woman who gave no name other than 'Granny'. He was afraid if he even went near her he would make her bleed, and get blood all over himself and he hated touching anything in paranoia. _

_Granny baked him cookies and cakes and pies and huge meals. She had him working most of the day, so he had no time to sit around and think about blood. On his second week there, after long nights of terrible dreams, she also gave him a teddy bear. He didn't stop having nightmares about screaming and blood, but he could hold onto Teddy and reassure himself that they were only dreams._

_Herry stayed out of school, and was home schooled by Granny. Once he found he could touch her without breaking her- if he was very careful, he found himself going off on wild adventures with her. Granny took him around the world and told him fascinating stories, fairytales really, about heroes fighting dragons and vampires and making things right. She also told him about Hercules, and how he was such a strong hero and how Herry was a lot like him. He was able to touch things again, and learned how to be gentle. Herry also learned what it meant to be brave when he finally gave up on the idea of his parents ever coming back to take him home now that he was 'normal'. He started washing his hands religiously after learning they'd been killed by disease while touring the world._

Neil wasn't quite sure how long they'd been waiting outside Chiron's medical room, hearing Jay's screams rise and fall and listening to his sobs and pleas for Hera or Chiron to put him out of his misery. It was a horrible thing, Neil decided, when you were reminded of just how easily life could be changed forever. Jay was _not_ coming out of that without some major scarring. He, himself, was still shirtless and now that the adrenaline of earlier had worn away, he was rather cold. And filthy. He needed to clean up. There was still blood on his hands. _Jay's blood_, and it frightened Neil almost more then anything he could think of.

Jay was, quite literally, the lead role in their group. He had the most lines, the most difficult scenes to play, and what he did affected everyone. Sure he got more attention, but that was also a curse. How he preformed either made them all look good, or bad, no matter how great their own acting was. And suddenly, he'd been injured in a freak accident- and his face was damaged terribly so. This was going to cost them, quite possibly ruin the entire play.

Neil had always admired Jay's acting skills, but from afar. He was a teenager, like all of them, and was capable of goofing around and laughing- but he fell too deeply into character. Those people usually wound up losing themselves in their roles as they found them too hard to break free of. Neil had been watching Jay become more and more the Leader everyone wanted him to be, when all he wanted was to be a normal kid. It was even worse for the boy, because Jay represented them- he was the lead star after all. If he wasn't in character, nobody was.

"Well, I'm going to get changed, anyone else wants to? It's not very comfortable or hygienic to sit around in those filthy rags," he was at least making an attempt to lighten up the mood. Some normality, something to _do_ would help them. Jay shrieked from behind the doors and all effects he'd made vanished in the blink of an eye and were replaced by cold stares. He shrugged, "Fine then. I'll go alone."

He was rounding the corner to leave the large room when he almost walked into Archie. Suppressing a shriek- reminding himself that the psycho wouldn't be allowed to walk free unless he was… _un_-psycho- Neil did jump back and brought his hands up to protect himself. Archie kept his eyes down and stepped to the side, allowing Neil to pass.

Neil had never been one to think the descendant of Achilles a meek person- but the impending doom of his insanity had changed the boy more then they all wanted to acknowledge. Archie hadn't fallen too deeply into his character, the demands of the play were too much for him and it was destroying him. He was too far in to leave though, and his acting was going to hurt them all.

Neil wrapped his arms around his model physique as he made his way down the halls, and it wasn't necessarily from the chill.

00oo00oo

Archie had expected a longer silence, and he himself was headed to sit in the corner and wait in Jay's screams with the others. He had no idea what they could- _should­- _do, with Jay injured. They were like sheep without the sheep-dog to guide them. And he was a wolf in sheep's clothing. But there was a scuffle of shoes on the floor and suddenly his half-sister was in his arms, and she was crying. And he wanted to cry when there almost seemed to be a barrier between him and his sadness, it was fading, but it still wasn't gone. Like a partially-opened gate. Some could get through, but not everything entirely.

He did what he could, trying to think his way through emotions until they returned naturally to him. Archie put his arms around Theresa as he sat them down, and on an afterthought stroked her hair.

"Why are you…" that was a silly question- so he started again, "he's going to be fine, Theresa. Right now it's horrible, but they're going to heal him," Archie couldn't find the ball of disgust and horror in his stomach when Jay screamed, "he's going to be alright." He was almost talking to himself at the end. Theresa clung to him tightly and sobbed loudly. Herry was looking at his feet, trying to be polite by not staring but his eyes flickered up to the siblings every so often. Odie was casually observing everything, as he did best, and Atlanta was looking strangely docile, head down, shoulders hunched and legs curled up to her chest. She wasn't looking at him. He understood and didn't try to talk to her. It was for the better, what he knew had to happen, but he wanted to cry almost as badly as Theresa was.

"We should move," Odie finally said, "it's no use sitting here listening to Jay... Someone will come get us when he's… better."

Odie always seemed to know what to do, even though it was the hard truth. Archie admired that about him. He'd make a good general, like Odysseus. Archie nodded and got up- half supporting Theresa as well. He knew girls cried over a lot of stuff- except Atlanta, because _nothing_ could make her cry- but he almost found it silly the way she was sobbing. There was nothing they could do but wait for Jay, and _that_- Archie almost smiled at the irony- was going to drive him insane.

00oo00oo

They waited underneath the giant golden statue of Zeus. Neil joined them a while later. The other gods were busy moving around, doing whatever it was gods did. They all appeared to be a little more hurried than usual, but there was tension in the air thick as fog, and that was probably the cause.

Herry bit back a curse as his shoulder throbbed. He'd opened the cut again and it was stinging. Odie looked to him over his glasses and Herry shrugged. There were others on the team going through far worse, what did he have to complain about? The African-Canadian didn't look convinced, but let it slide. Odie always seemed to know what you were thinking, and sometimes Herry was sure Odie was the psychic, and not Theresa.

Had he not been looking through the corner of his eye at his shoulder, to check for blood stains, he would have missed Atlanta's glare at Odie. It was the darkest, most spiteful look he had ever seen and it nearly stopped all of his thoughts. _What happened?_

Theresa was still hiccupping into Archie's shoulder, and he was awkwardly patting her on the back and trying to soothe her. Atlanta remained curled up, still glaring at Odie when she thought no one was looking, and Odie was sitting quite still with a rather distant look on his face. If he saw Atlanta he didn't show it. Neil was trying to look at himself in his mirror, playing with –but without really enjoying- his hair. Herry was staring at the ceiling and the bits of the statue he could see, wondering how awesome it must be to be a god and not have to worry about ever losing your family. And to be powerful enough to protect them.

If only he and Odie had arrived sooner, or had even gone to hang with Jay, Theresa and Neil. They might have saved Jay, and Archie wouldn't have gone insane. Right now they could be laughing at Jay's pretty nails while heading to meet Archie and Atlanta for a movie and then spending the day at the mall with their friends, and they could be happy.

If only life were so perfect.

Athena cleared her voice loudly and they all jumped. She motioned them to follow and they all got up and trailed along. They were silent, save for Theresa's small sniffles and the slight _click clack_ of Archie's ankle brace and the sound of their shoes on the floors.

She brought them to the gym, where once upon a time they'd spent a night to hide away from monsters trying to snatch them up in the dark. Their beds were set up. There were only six. That was a wound they all shared as they obediently made their way to their beds and lay down. There was blanket of hopelessness that fell around them as the lights went out. They were left in the silence to their own dark minds and cruel thoughts.

00oo00oo

Theresa awoke slowly. Before she stirred consciously she checked the room for any unfamiliar minds. There were none. But there was a familiar _taste_ on the outer regions and it made her eyes fly open and she leapt out of bed. She didn't bother calling the others as she made a dash out of the gym; she was too excited to think straight.

_Jay was awake. _

Her pace slowed as she approached Chiron's study. She was beginning to realize the reason she couldn't feel any pain or agony from Jay was because he'd blocked her out. There were walls inside his mind, keeping everyone out. _It's because he was in so much pain_, she told herself. He didn't mean to do that.

She knocked sharply on the large door before pushing it open. She had to put her shoulders into it. The room was dark and it took her eyes a few moments to adjust to the darkness. Someone moaned at the invasion of light and she quickly shoved the doors closed. Chiron wasn't in there.

"Who's there?" a voice hissed. Theresa froze and whirled around, looking for the stranger.

"I said, _who's there_?" the person growled, and it was then that Theresa realized the hoarse, rough voice was Jay's.

"It's me, Jay," she whispered and made her way to where he was lying.

"Who are you?" Jay snapped, and Theresa stopped cold. He couldn't… had the pain been so much he'd forgotten…?

"It's me, Jay, Theresa," she said.

"Theresa…" she heard him mutter to himself, "yes… I know you. I trust you. Where is it?" She realized that last part had been directed at herself.

"Wh-where is what?" she whispered. She was starting to see the outline of his body; she could see how pale he still was. There were bandages across his bare chest.

"Th-the monster," Jay hissed, and she could hear the fear… and the livid rage in his voice, "the one who did _this_ to me! Where _is_ it, Theresa?"

"I… I don't know, Jay we-"

"WHAT?" Jay snarled, and Theresa took a step back. Jay was struggling to push himself up onto his elbows. She swallowed and dashed forwards.

"Jay, you're not well enough to stand or even sit up. You need to lie down and rest!" she commanded.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Jay snapped, and he slapped her hands away, "**I** am **still **the Leader! I make the orders! You can't tell me what to do!" There was a note of hysteria in Jay's voice that nearly broke Theresa's heart. He was still in pain, but his words were slurred from the massive dose of painkillers Chiron and Hera must have given him.

The doors opening behind her blinded both her and Jay. Jay fell back onto the bed and moaned. She finally got a good look at his face and it made her stomach drop. The entire right side of his face had been bandaged so there was no skin showing, not even his eye, and those bandages were stained with blood. Long cuts of missing flesh, like tendrils of red, snaked out from under the bandages and onto the left side of his face. The largest had been stitched up and the smaller had scabbed over already. His nose was still crooked from yesterday's play fight, and yet Theresa felt sick at the stray thought in her mind that it looked like Cronus's nose. Like Cronus's pale face glaring up at her with an insane brown eye.

"Theresa? Good morning, my dear," Chiron greeted and he closed the doors behind him, trotting in with the _clip clop_ of his hooves on the floor. He came to stand beside Theresa and seemed surprised to see Jay awake. Chiron muttered under his breath as he saw the bandages soaked in poppy-red blossoms.

"Theresa, I think it is best if you leave now. I need to change Jay's bandages and I don't think you're ready to see that," Chiron finally seemed to notice her wide eyes, and the tears threatening to fall, "did he say something to you, my dear? He doesn't know what he's talking about, Theresa. The medication I have him on is probably making him delusional, don't worry about Jay. He is a strong boy, he'll survive."

Theresa nodded slowly, but there was something in the way Jay's single eye followed her that made her think he was thinking very clearly. And very un-Jay like. She left the room as quickly as possible, and the walls inside Jay's mind only grew higher.

00oo00oo

Atlanta was busying herself making the beds when Theresa entered the gym. Theresa immediately knew there was still something stressing all of them, because Atlanta hated chores, and Archie wasn't beside her. He was standing by one of the large windows, slightly silhouetted in the bright morning light and staring out at whatever view they offered. Odie was sitting on his bed, half watching Atlanta work and half looking at nothing. Neil was looking into his mirror, though he seemed to be forcefully engrossed in it, and Herry was laying on his back and looking up at the ceiling.

"Therri?" Atlanta began hopefully when the door clicked shut, "where were y- what happened?" she rushed over the instant she saw the sheen of tears that Theresa had thought she'd forced down.

"I-I saw Jay. He's a-awake." All ears were on her now, though she noticed that Archie had turned and was watching intently- as soon as Atlanta had noticed something wrong- but he'd stopped walking towards her when Atlanta came to her side. They were avoiding one another. It was the right thing to do, but it only made her heart ache more, and that made the tears worse.

She waited until she was sitting on one of the cots beside Atlanta, with everyone staring at her. She tried to take a deep breath, but knew she was going to start crying.

"He's that bad?" Herry said quietly, breaking the silence.

Theresa almost found herself laughing. They thought seeing him so… so helpless? So pathetic, would make her cry? It probably would have, a long time ago, before she'd seen him _die_ once before, "He… I talked to him. He just wasn't himself. He… he yelled at me, he was so _angry_ that we didn't have the minotaur that… that…"

Atlanta's face was in a scowl, "He yelled at _you_ after _you_ saved _him_? That's not the Jay I know."

"He's on a lot of medication, half his words were slurred. His voice doesn't even sound the same. Jay'll b-be fine once he's healed," Theresa tried to plead. She could sense the anger coming from her friends. Unfortunately, she couldn't sense anything from Archie's mind. He had blocks against her as well, though originally it had been to annoy her, and now he told her it was because he didn't want her seeing what was inside his mind. But the feeling of that block, of being unwanted, was the final straw and Theresa found hot tears rolling down her face.

"H-his face! I-it was a-a-all b-bandaged up, b-but it w-was still bl-blee-bleeding and he's s-so pale and h-he j-just was-wasn't acting li-like J-Jay at a-all!" she cupped her face in her hands as she cried.

"I can't believe him," Atlanta was stiff with anger as she wrapped her arms around Theresa's shoulders. Theresa felt Herry and Odie come over and they each touched her arms awkwardly, as they didn't understand the problem like a woman did. But they were still angry that Jay would make her cry. Even Neil, from afar, was upset at that fact. Atlanta pulled away after a moment and Theresa was only hiccupping. She had a headache from crying so much lately.

"Even Jay's an idiot sometimes," Archie whispered as he hugged her from behind. She gasped slightly, as he was unexpected, but she held his arms and felt relief that she hadn't known before. She'd always been an only child, as had Archie, and it was new to both of them to have this deeper connection of family. There was a surprising difference in the comfort she felt between her friends and from her step-brother. Even if it was only a title, even if he had only been her step-brother, her family, for a few weeks, she felt better.

Archie pulled away before she was ready, and she heard him leave the room. Atlanta got up and was out the door behind him before the door closed. Odie was watching them leave with a look that Theresa had seen all of them give their homework- something they didn't want to do, something that was hard to do, but was for a greater, better cause. It made her shiver. Herry took Archie's place as her new teddy-bear and she thanked her lucky stars for such great friends to cry to. She tried to fool herself into believing all was going to be okay again.

00oo00oo

"I get the strangest feeling the children aren't dead," Cronus sighed as he rested his chin in his palm. He was sitting in his favorite throne, but he did not look very happy. Two harpies, and a minotaur he had sent to catch three heroes unaware. Two had returned, and in terrible shape. Disappointments followed him at every turn.

The minotaur was surprisingly fast at picking up his unhappy tone, "Eet vas de Te'eroes. Dey had back'p dat ve deed not exp'ct!"

"I don't really care about that, and for Time's sake- stop it with that annoying 'Teeroes' business. They're brats, mortals, the enemy- not whatever in Tartarus 'Teeroes' is. Now I really do hope you have at least _some_ other good news for me?" Cronus drummed his other fingers on the arm of the throne. His red eyes seemed to glow in the dim light.

"Vy yes, Lo'd C'onus. Vee deed hu't dem much. Da boy, with de swo'd…" she paused for effect as Cronus placed a name to the description.

"Oh, I do like to hear about Jay's miseries. Go on," he smiled.

"I to'e off his face," the minotaur growled. Despite the obviously broken nose he had received while fighting, he was grinning.

It took a while for the news to sink in. At first, Cronus's eyes widened, and then a grin spread across his face. It started as a twitch in his fingers, but moved it's way up through his arm and into his chest until it was a pressure so great he couldn't contain it. Cronus threw back his head and he laughed. He could imagine Jay, _see_ Jay bleeding and sobbing over his poor mortal face. He could see Jay as the mortal screamed, no, _begged_ for death but the gods would not give it to him. They needed their child soldier, and Cronus was still looking forwards to having his future slave. One he would beat every morning and every night for every second of misery and humiliation Jay had caused him.

That was very good news. Cronus laughed until there were tears in his eyes. The minotaur and harpy looked relieved, like they might be forgiven for failing their orders.

"I am glad he is suffering," Cronus grinned, and let it fall, "but none of them are dead," the faces of the monsters in front of him fell as well, "and I don't take failure too lightly."

They hardly had time to scream, let alone turn and run, before his magic incinerated them. Cronus leaned back in his throne as he assumed a more casual pose. He wondered how much pain Jay had been in, how much Jay had screamed and how much he had bled. He felt a pang of regret for not waiting around to see the mauling, but dismissed it. He would get to see the final results, _if_ Jay survived.

Cronus was still chuckling to himself as Agnon came in to sweep away the ashes on the floor.

* * *

So, poor Jay. His meds have him kind of crazy- or _is_ it the medicine? He seemed sensible enough to put up walls in his mind against Theresa. Where was Archie headed off to- and why did Atlanta follow when she knows Odie's going to force them apart? Is Odie really going to go along with his threat? And why were the gods so busy?

Thank you for reading, and I will update again soon.

-Demenior


	9. Small's Story I

Heroes Crusade: End of All Hope

Most characters fan-napped from: Class of the Titans

The rest are here from: My own mind and other places as will be noted in the future

Disclaimer: I don't own Class of the Titans

Warning: Blood, some mild language. Your brain will be _fried_ if you don't read the authors note. I mean it.

Authors Note: I'm about to throw you through the loop. In order to understand this 'intermisson', this 'side story'- **forget everything you're read so far.** This is an alternating story that goes along with the main plot of EoaH, and necessary to understand EoaH, but don't assume they are the same. You will get way, way too confused.

_And I'm aware of the nuisance that has been plaguing our wonderful community lately, and I have some words of wisdom I think will help everyone get out of the drama. _**Just Ignore It. Don't read anything by it, for it, against it, don't respond, don't post anything in response.**_ I do want to say how awesome it was to see the community rally around one another against the bother, but unfortunately that kind of response only encourages it. It thrives off of attention and loves to get a good reaction like it has been getting. It's been reported many times over, and so just continue reporting it to the Moderators, but _**do not engage it at all anymore**_. Let it be and we'll all be on our merry way soon enough. That's my personal view on it, and all I'm going to say about the situation. _

Story Notes:

"Talking"

_Thinking_

//Phones/ walkie-talkies/ pmr's/ earpieces/ basically just mechanical devices//

-Thought speech-

00oo00oo scene/time/POV change

* * *

Far Away, This Ship Is Taking Me Far Away,

Far Away From the Memories, of the People who Care if I Live or Die

- 'Starlight' by Muse

* * *

**Small's Story I**

We don't remember anything of our past, except for speech, which is a blessing in itself, and I remember how to read and write- not particularly well mind you, but I'm the only one in the gang who can. That's why I'm an Observer, because I can record and I remember and analyze things so well. I prefer to watch than to partake.

We also seem to remember that the seven of us had some strong connection to each other before we 'woke up'. No one remembers where we got it from, or why, we have that feeling, but we just do. And that's that. We had no names to give ourselves when we woke up, which is a terrible loss when you realize the significance of owning something that is yours. We don't have much, never have and never will and names are of great importance in this city.

We stopped looking for our memories a long time ago. It was too hard to keep searching for something no one could see and we didn't know where they could possibly be. It was easier to move on and create a new past for ourselves.

The others have found more of their bodies' memories, just things that they might have done all the time that their bodies remember. Any sort of stretch, reflex, instinct or reaction are all part of that. By now we've stopped learning new things about ourselves, since we've been awake for about eighteen months now.

Faint streaks of light shone through the smog. A city this might be, but all it mainly has are factories of slave-labor that billow smoke into the air day after day, homes for those who could scarcely afford them, a large outdoor market and street-rats, gangs, like us. Like me.

In the group, I am the only one with dark, dark brown hair and chocolate skin. My eyes, I'm told, are black. I'm the shortest in the group but also the smartest, when it comes to reading and writing at least. I'm also quite good with locks and gadgets we find here and there. The name I've taken on is Small, and that's what everyone calls me. Small.

Up on the hill, where the smog seemed thickest and the sun doesn't seem to reach, are the Laboratories. I shuddered from my perch on the rooftop. The Laboratories were notorious for many strange creatures lurking around the alleys and the reason why we were all so poor. They had enough power to hold sway over the people, so the people obeyed. They ran everything around here, and if the rumors were true, anyone who had ever opposed the Laboratories had always vanished without a trace. Nonetheless, it was the world I had always (or had I grown up in a better place? A worse place?) lived in, for as far back as I could remember.

Since dawn was up, that meant I had to get back to the others. Night was always best to be roaming about in, because if you slept during the night you would get picked off one by one. We slept throughout the day, when predators and prowlers would be fast asleep or tucked away into the shadows and could not bother us.

I slid down off the roof, hands and feet on the outside of the ladder and not touching the rungs once. I made my way back quickly, since the beasts I've mentioned before usually preferred to try and get in one last meal before the night was over.

Today, I was wearing the same clothes as yesterday. Baggy pants and a green sweater. The arms of the sweater were frayed and tattered, but it kept me warm at night and while I slept during the day.

A loud snuffling to my left caught my attention. I squinted and I saw the burry outline of a grotesque shape sniffing through the weaning darkness. I froze briefly, hoping it hadn't seen me. But it turned, and I heard it stop, and saw it crouch as it prepared to spring.

Without waiting for it to attack first, I turned and ran away. It was foolish to try and fight these things, even though the gang had fought a few before, it had always ended with most of us very injured. It was a fools mission to attempt and fight one on my own.

A howl shot through the mist and chilled me more than the damp air had all night. I ran as fast as I could, shoes beating on the cement. I could barely see in front of me, but I knew the way well enough.

There was a sickening 'skriich' of claws on stone as the beast gave chase. I ducked into an alley and hoped that it would lose track of me. I had to throw it off my trail before I could return to the others and they would seal off home soon and I would have to spend the day on my own.

It's amazing how little you notice everything else when you run for your life. I'm an Observer. It's my duty to know everything around me, but running from the beast I only noticed that ladder when I had almost passed it.

I'm one to over-analyze. I like to think about decisions. I like to ponder consequences and benefits- but I didn't stop to think about what I was doing and lashed out and arm and was already halfway up the ladder before I realized I was climbing. The beast shrieked behind me and the ladder shuddered as it began attempting to climb after me.

I made it to the rooftop and dared to glance down. The monster was still at the bottom of the ladder- thankfully this one didn't have opposable fingers or perhaps its paws were too big to fit in the ladder. Regardless, it couldn't climb after me. But it would wait for me until I came down.

I had to move by rooftop now. Something I had done before- but with others for help. Usually this was something Heel and Fast would indulge in. Only a few more steps- and then there was nothing under my feet and I kept them running like I'd been taught and I hit the next rooftop and used my momentum to keep me from falling.

The monsters gave up on me only a few rooftops into my escape and sought out last-minute meals for themselves elsewhere. Thank goodness. I leapt down an old fire escape, thundering loudly and beginning the dawn chorus of the city. The sunlight was reaching the ground now. I had to hurry. I couldn't be left alone. I missed my family, and I wanted to be sure all of them were alright.

Usually I spent my waking hours, the coolness of night, with them. Tonight though I'd gone off on my own to think. I needed only my own thoughts and distractions for tonight. I needed to Observe. Strange dreams were worrying me lately. And not only me, but Beauty as well. Dreams of living another life in another time in a strange place that seemed so far from our little home, but so close too. Dreams of myself and my family, happy and sad and safe and bloody from battle. These dreams unsettled me. I don't know why. That's why I needed to think. But I still have no answers.

We live under a bridge. We fought the last group of strays away from the eroded banks of the now-dammed river and claimed it as our own. The water opened up an opening to a small cave underground, like a bubble in the earth, and that is my home. And I am happy to call it such. We will never own a house. My family lives day to day on the food we can scavenge or steal. That is my life and I will not be ashamed for living. Brown once had a job for a while, and he used his money to buy us all new clothes and food and blankets to sleep in. Those were happy times and we all tried to get jobs at the factory Brown worked in. Then Brown was injured badly and cast out and we had to use all of the money he had left and that we had made to save him. I think he wanted to use the money to try and get himself and Beauty into their very own home. He's never said anything to us about it, but as I have said before. I am the Observer. I see things.

I ran along the road now, just to the side of the sunlight. Sunlight scares me. It's unnatural. You cannot hide; you cannot fade away into darkness when you are in sunlight. Sunlight reveals the monsters around you, but it also reveals you to the monsters. And you can easily become blinded by sunlight and sunspots in your eyes get in the way of any escape. I quickened my pace. Brown would hold off as long as he could, but he would have to have Giant shut the door to the outside before the Scientists found us and then I would be alone all day long.

I came up to the bridge and slid down the hillside in a hurry. Fast was standing in the entrance looking around worriedly. She looked relieved when she saw me, but her worry returned when she saw I had come alone. Heel wasn't back yet. He was the only one she would worry so much over.

Everyone else was safely inside. Brown and Giant were hovering over the heavy boulder only Giant could barely even move and we used to seal ourselves off from the world and the dangers of the Scientists for the scary daylight hours. But Heel still hadn't come back. If he wasn't back soon we would have to seal him off. We could search for him at nighttime- but he might be taken from us, or get lost or… he could already be dead. Blue-Eyes and Beauty, quiet, gentle and visions of grace and loveliness, were in the back. They were tired from the night out and their eyelids looked so heavy, but they were both waiting for Heel to return as well.

There were footsteps overhead now. Only a few, soft, early-morning footsteps. My heart beat faster and I looked to Brown. If anyone saw our home, the Scientists could find us. We had to close the entrance. We had to wait for Heel, but we couldn't endanger our entire family over him. Brown sighed loudly, and it was the signal that he'd made the decision. Fast braced herself in the doorway,

"No! He only went off for a little while- he said he'd be back in time. Heel always keeps his promises! He- " Brown moved swiftly and grabbed her, clasping a hand over her mouth to silence her. We all braced for someone above to have heard her, but there were no signs we'd been noticed. Brown nodded sadly to Giant,

"Move it," he whispered, "Heel won't make it." He wrestled Fast further back into the cave while Giant slowly rolled the boulder into place. We were safe for the day. We could rest easily. But no one would sleep well.

We shared food leftover from our night out. Fast chewed miserably at her food and the rest of us didn't speak. Brown and Beauty settled in beside one another and Brown drew a blanket around them. In the dark it was difficult to see the scars across the right side of his face. Blue-Eyes was curling up in his spot for the night. Giant and I sat together.

"Where do you think Heel is?" Giant asked. For his intimidating size, he seemed very much like a child at times and treated me like more of an adult then anyone else- besides Brown. Brown had always been grown up.

"Hopefully he's found somewhere safe," I replied.

The Scientists came down from their laboratories during the day. They moved about in their loud, horseless vehicles and thundered down streets and crept through back alleys looking for strays like us. If they caught you they would catch you up in their scary nets and gloved hands and throw you into your vehicles and drive back to the laboratories on the hill. No one ever taken by the Scientists was ever seen again. That was why we had to hide ourselves so well during the day. As long as they did not know we were here, we were safe while we slept. If they ever caught us, it would be our screams echoing from the hillsides during the night while they did horrible imaginings to us. This was our fear for Heel now. He had to keep himself hidden, no matter what.

I was exhausted but I knew I would not sleep much today. I needed all the sleep I could get though, and sleep would make the time pass faster. The sooner night fell, the sooner we could search for Heel. I hoped he would be safe.

Giant and I took our places together, around Blue-Eyes, and wrapped ourselves in our blankets. They smelled musty and slightly wet, like the earth, like home. Fast was laying in her blanket and she looked so tiny and pathetic without Heel beside her that I wished I knew of religion or at least belonged to one so that I could pray for Heel's safe return.

There once was religion in our town. But it is long gone now that our god has left. We _Awoke_ shortly after he fled our city and so we have grown up in a decaying world without faith. It is a world where and Observer can thrive.

I pushed these thoughts from my mind. I couldn't think when I was trying to sleep. But Fast seemed so lonely and I was so crowded with Blue-Eyes and Giant, so I got up and laid myself to rest beside Fast. She didn't say anything but I knew she was grateful.

00oo00oo

It was night again. We'd left our home as soon as we dared. Brown sent us all off in pairs, himself and Beauty a pair themselves, to look for Heel. I was with Fast, which to me didn't make much sense in the sense that Fast was very, very light and quick on her feet and I was slower and I took in everything around me. I think Brown wanted us to play off of each others strengths to make us a good team for finding Heel, but Fast was so agitated and worried that I, being slow, was doing more harm than good.

"Small, hurry! What if Heel's hurt or lost? We have to find him before a monster does!" Just by saying the worst I half expected to hear the snuffling and clicks of claws on pavement and the heavy breaths of a beast preparing to attack.

"Fast, we're trying to find someone we don't even know where he went. What happened again?"

"We were stoppin' for a rest and then he pretended to see a monster and tricked me and we got into a fight and so he went off on his own and told me he'd see me at home and then I went home and he never came back." She frowned, arms crossed over her chest. That made sense. Fast and Heel were inseparable, unless they were fighting. This happened to be more often than not.

"Where were you when you were fighting?"

"About here," she shrugged, gesturing around us.

"And which way did Heel go?"

"I think he went that way," Fast pointed.

"Then lets go that way. It'll be our best guess as to where Heel is." I hated to think that the both of us were so sure Heel would be hiding, waiting for us to rescue him. The reality was that he was _not_ waiting for us and was dead or on his way to a Laboratory on the hill and we never would see him again.

Fast, oblivious to everything else, ran the way I'd directed and I had no choice but to follow. She was too quick for me and I quickly fell behind.

"Fast! Wait up!" I dared to shout. It was never a good idea to be too loud, in case a monster heard you. Or worse, a Scientist.

"Hey!" someone shouted nearby. I instantly turned the opposite direction to run away, "Small get'over here!" I knew that voice.

"Heel? Where are you?" I moved towards his voice, but there was nothing but a wall in front of me. He must be on the other side of the wall- but he hadn't sounded muffled by stone at all.

"Where are you? Everyone's worried about- ah!" A hand grabbed my ankle and I leapt back farther than I thought I could leap. Heel was dragging himself out from under the wall. I couldn't believe he'd even managed to fit into the tiny opening. I'm the smallest and I would doubt I could fit. For scaring me so badly I refused to help pull him out. I kept an eye out for monsters and for Fast- she hadn't heard Heel because she'd been running too fast and too far ahead.

Heel used the wall to pull himself to his feet, and swayed and fell against it. He was covered in mud and dirt but I immediately saw the wound in his side. Heel was injured, badly.

"What happened?"

"Got jumped by a monster last night. Was commin' to meet you when you started runnin' and I did too and then when you got away it came after me. It clawed me but I got away, but it was getting' too bright out and I… it really, really hurts so I hid and hoped I'd still be around. If you hadn't been shoutin' I wouldn't 've heard you. My head's spinning, Small, is that normal?" He shook his head, as if that would help and kept a hand clutched over his wound.

"No… no that's not," I said slowly. Heel had been hurt because of me, but I hadn't known he was around at the time. Did that make it my fault? Indirectly I was the reason Heel was hurt, "let's get you home, Heel. How bad is it?"

"It's still bleeding, but I think that's 'cause I scraped it up getting' outta there, and it hurts more then my ankle ever has." I offered my shoulder for him to lean on and he, in a very Heel-like display, refused it and walked, or rather limped and almost fell over, on his own. I stayed beside him for when he would realize he needed help before he passed out.

Heel has always had a weak heel, which is the first thing we recognized about him. Otherwise his name probably would have been Argue, Angry, Fight or Arrogant. Then again, despite all his bad qualities that make him Heel, we could have called him Loyal, Brave or Truth, but those names also apply to the rest of our family. What could you call someone that summed up all of those characteristics but showed just what a good person they were?

As I pondered Heel now had laboured breathing and was panting heavily and wordlessly I took his arm and put it over my shoulders and he leaned on me to keep him on his feet. It took a lot to hurt Heel like this. He needed help, from a Doctor or a Healer or someone who knew how to make people better like they did with Brown. Fast would realize I wasn't with her soon enough and come back to find us.

"Small? Heel? Heel!" I heard her shout from behind us. I wanted to laugh at how my thinking of her almost seemed to conjour her up, but now was not the time. Heel stopped abruptly and turned to face Fast. She skipped to a stop from a full out run right in front of us and for a moment looked like she was about to leap onto Heel and hug him tightly.

"_Where_ have you been?" she snapped, "do you know how worried everyone has been for you?"

"Aw, shucks, Fast," Heel grinned lopsidedly, "I didn't know you cared."

She huffed loudly, crossing her arms across her chest, "I _don't_. I was hoping you died. It was a lot roomier without you and I slept much better without you snoring in my ear. Not to mention you stink."

I may be an Observer, but I have a difficult time understanding Fast and Heel. They're always fighting, but only at some points are they angry fighting and the rest of the time they fight but they're being nice to each other. I think that Fast was actually telling Heel how lonely and worried she was all last night. I don't understand how they lie so openly to each other either. Fast never, ever would want Heel to die and she has _not_ been searching frantically and hysterically all night for someone she hoped was dead.

I tugged on Heel's arm, "We need to get home."

Fast seemed to notice now the blood all down Heel's side and looked horrified, "What did you do to yourself?"

"A monster tried to gobble me up. I think its name was Fast," Heel sneered at her and suddenly she was no longer worried.

"You taste too bad for any monster to ever eat," Fast stuck her tongue out at him. I rolled my eyes. They could go on forever like this.

"Heel's really, really Hurt, Fast. We need to see Brown- he'll know what to do." I tugged on Heel's arm again.

Fast glared at me for interrupting them, and I could feel Heel angry at me as well, but I pulled on Heel again and he started walking with me. Fast was on his other side and I saw her slip her hand between his dirty fingers.

There was a rumbling sensation I have never experienced in all my nights and both Heel and Fast stopped and looked around. When I was with anyone else, I never really worried about monsters. Especially when I was with Heel and Fast. Of our entire family they were the most battle-hungry and had even once fought a monster to the point that the monster ran away. Now, at that moment, the rest of the family had been fighting against the monster too- it was trying to take our home from us- but it was Heel and Fast who had avidly engaged it and chased after it when it ran away.

Lights! The Sun! It lit up the entire world so fast my eyes burned. We all shouted in shock and horror. I heard a rumble, like a loud, loud growl.

"Run!" Heel shouted over the strange noise, "it's a motor!" Only Scientists drove vehicles, all of which had motors. But they never, ever were out at night. That's what they used monsters for! I couldn't argue with Heel's logic and I tried to pull Heel along with me but he shoved me away, telling me to run as fast as I could, which meant I was to try and return home without being followed. My eyes were burning from the light- vehicles had lights on their front, like angry glowing eyes. It was like they'd shone the sun right into my eyes.

I ran for home. Heel and Fast would take care of themselves. They were together now and nothing could stop them. No scientist could catch them. They were the fastest in our family and they were most accustomed to the urban terrain of our home and knew every nook and cranny and ladder and step.

I think I was followed for a while, but I quickly eluded the sensation of being watched and I ran for home. I was exhausted and it was getting light out again. Night never lasts long enough.

I leapt down the hill into the dry riverbed long before dawn would break. Giant and Blue-Eyes were already there.

"We found Heel- but there were Scientists! A vehicle, at night! We split up," I panted.

"Then Heel and Fast will be fine- they'll probably beat Brown and Beauty back," Blue-Eyes grinned, his hair turned golden in the soft light.

We had to wait until much, much later. Almost to the point where I thought we might have to lock Brown, Beauty, Heel and Red out for the day, but then we heard them running towards us. Beauty was the first into the cave and she looked upset, and behind her followed Brown, restraining and dragging Heel who looked half-crazed with fury.

Fast was not with them.

"Let me go, Brown! We can still catch them!" Heel hissed, eyes narrowed into slits, "we can save her! LET ME GO!"

"Giant close the door!" Brown shouted. His tone, usually so calm and tender was so harsh that Giant leapt to his feet and was at the boulder before he could think.

"Where's Fast? What happened to Fast?" Blue-Eyes leapt to his feet. Beauty started sobbing loudly. Heel was still shouting and cursing and twisting to get away from Brown. His wound was bleeding badly all over him and Brown and the ground.

"Close the _door_, Giant!" Brown ordered again. I couldn't blame Giant for obeying. Heel shrieked and threatened to kill everyone and Brown continued to hold him until Giant closed us off to the outside and then Brown shoved Heel away and Heel collapsed on the floor. He was shaking and cursing and, almost, seemed like he was crying.

"What… what happened to Fast? Where is she? She was with you, right?" Giant asked.

I knew. I knew what had happened. I should've stayed with them.

"They Scientists took her," I whispered. So soft, so quiet were my words. But they cut us all like a sharp sword. What power words have. Heel pounded the ground and screamed in frustration and Beauty cried harder and Brown went to Heel to attend to the bloody wound. Blue-Eyes sat down and numbly starred at his feet and Giant seemed paralyzed. Fast was gone. She was gone forever.

The only sound was Beauty's sobs and Heel's labored breathing as Brown tried to stop the bleeding.

For a while, I could have sworn Heel was crying as he stopped shouting and returned to whispers.

"It's all my fault. It's all my fault."


	10. Time to Heal

**Heroes Crusade: End of All Hope **

**Most characters fan-napped from: **Class of the Titans

**The rest are here from:** My own mind and other places as will be noted in the future

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Class of the Titans

**Warning:** Mild language, lots of angst

**Authors Note:** I know, I know **Small's Story** just threw everyone off and no one knows what the heck is going on anymore, right? I'm going to try and, hopefully, help you guys out here so pay attention and I'm sorry I have to destroy your minds for this story to work!

**Small's Story** is another storyline/plot going on at the same time as the events of EoaH, but it moves at a faster pace and makes a lot more sense when it's kept inside EoaH, which is why it's not its own separate story, not to mention it's almost completely AU and none of the characters in Small's Story are characters from CotT, but you can for sure see the similarities and I can tell you that Small's family is the spitting image of our favorite group of seven teens.

Anyways, now we're back to our regularly scheduled angst and I hope to create a broader and more developed world for our Teeroes. Please enjoy!

**Story Notes:**

"Talking"

_Thinking_

//Phones/ walkie-talkies/ pmr's/ earpieces/ basically just mechanical devices//

-Thought speech-

00oo00oo scene/time/POV change

**

* * *

**

**Previously:**

Jay is stable now, but when Theresa went to visit him, he reacted angrily and completely out-of-character and shouted at her. Not to mention, he had blocks in his mind to keep Theresa out- and Jay has _always_ been open to her and her top supporter. That is something Jay never would have done. Frightened by Jay's strange behavior, Theresa went back to the others, but the tensions between the team mates might be enough to keep them apart. Archie, Atlanta and Odie went off to speak to Jay.

* * *

Perfectionism becomes a badge of honor with you playing the part of the suffering hero.  
David D. Burns

**

* * *

**

Time to Heal

_He was trained to act from a young age. When his parents screamed at one another, breaking and throwing valuable things at one another, he had to act like he didn't exist. While they were around, Neil had to act like he loved every boyfriend like they were his real father. When his father- and every man after him- walked out the door and never came back, Neil had to act like he hated them. In front of strangers Neil had to act like all was well in his life. And if anyone asked about the occasional bruises on himself Neil had to work his charm and use his skills to make everyone believe his charade was real._

_Posing, adopting a look or attitude in front of a camera was no problem. Getting a lead role in any school performance was child play. If you could act well enough to fool everyday people, charming an audience took no effort on his part._

_He could even fool his mother into believing she was doing a wonderful job raising him, so well a job that she would take the knife from her wrist or let him unknot the noose around her neck. Anyone he met he could fool into believing he was so vain and conceited he didn't need them. That was partially true, he was _gorgeous_ and perfection to the extreme. But that did get lonely sometimes. A lot of sometimes._

_Neil loved mirrors. Even from a young age, he could never fool the mirror into believing what he wanted it to. The mirror would go along with whatever act he was putting on, smiling and laughing just like himself, but he would always see behind that mask into what Neil really was._

_Who Neil truly was, he didn't even know himself. He acted so much, slipping from one scene to the next that he wasn't sure where the costumes stopped and he began._

_Mirrors always understood him, and when he felt he was getting too wrapped up in his roles, he would stop and look into a mirror to remind himself what Neil looked like._

_Charm and acting had gotten him far though. Money, clothes, a roof over his head, food, medicine for his mother. All the things they'd lived without at one point or another when all of her money went to needles and smokes._

_Neil had never set out to change the world, or to shake everything to its foundations. He didn't need the burden of saving anything, or being _responsible_ for anyone. One day he just wanted to wake up and throw his masks out the window and have friends who would welcome him with open arms, for who he was._

_His mother was getting better, skipping pills more and more often and still smiling and never asking Neil for the key to the knife drawer. He'd stopped reminding her what she had to live for and forgot to tell her he loved her most of the time. One morning he remembered, over breakfast, and he kissed her cheek as he headed out the door for school. _

_The limo dropped him off right on time and he strolled to class casually, smiling at himself in his mirror and for once Neil-in-the-mirror might pass as truly happy. The knives were safely away, mother's medication was safely stored, any ropes or long strings were banished from their household. He had a photo shoot that afternoon for the loss prevention- something to do with sad faces. He was sure he could do it. _

_Neil even walked home from school that day and breathed in the humid, filthy air of downtown. Somehow it felt fresh to his senses and the sunlight would make his tan more natural. There were fans outside of his apartment building, waiting in a crowd. They didn't notice when he showed up._

_His mother was getting better, anything dangerous had been hidden away and she had a doctor to look after her while Neil was away. He was normally quite content with skirting around a crowd- as crowds tended to surround him- but he pushed through people this time. She was getting better; there was no way for her to harm herself. There was an ambulance parked on the street. Neil was going to take her out for dinner after his work._

_Who would have guessed she would jump from their balcony?_

_The police were asking for anyone who might be a relative or be able to contact a relative. They were asking for witnesses. Neil _had_ said he loved her that morning. He smiled for her, he laughed with her. What did he do wrong? Why did she jump?_

_He left the crowd. Neil himself was crying. His face was blank. He fumbled to pull open his mirror, fixing his hair. He strode down the sidewalk in fast steps. There were tears streaming down the real Neil's face. His face was still blank._

_He went to work. To the shoot for _Victims Anonymous_. He was supposed to be a boy in distress. That should be easy enough. Today he'd let the camera see the real Neil. He'd let them see the real tears, the real pain he was hiding._

_They said his tears, his expression of grief, were too fake._

Atlanta followed Archie through the halls only slightly slower than his pace so she never completely caught up with him. The walked in silence, and she knew he was immediately aware of her. Their footfalls were far too loud in the silence and they both tensed as they waited for someone to break the tension between them. Atlanta couldn't remember a situation like this between her and Archie. He paused, finally, at the final turn that would take him to Chiron's office where Atlanta knew he was going to fight with Jay about what had happened with Theresa. She stopped as well, and realized she had no idea what she was doing.

She'd started off going to speak with Jay, but he had been the last thing on her mind. She was still angry at him for what he'd said to Theresa- and Atlanta felt terribly guilty that she found herself and Archie the most important things to her and not the feelings of her best friend. Archie, though, definitely had his sister's best intentions at heart and was still being the good man- even though everyone was not-so-secretly afraid of being killed by him. Atlanta felt worse. She wanted to tell Archie she wasn't afraid of him- that she trusted him, but that would be lying. She wasn't afraid of _him_, but it was losing him that made her breath catch and she did trust him completely- but to do the right thing and separate them forever. Atlanta was too selfish to let that happen. What she really wanted to do was run up and hug him and feel his arms around her and know things were going to get better- like they always did.

His back was to her, yet she clearly knew the creases in his brow and the frown that would curve his lips down as he struggled with himself to be loyal to his word. Archie was loyal to a fault when it came to promises. Atlanta also knew a part of him that he didn't think she knew of, the part of him that longed to die. He was only still alive because of a promise, and that made Atlanta slightly jealous. She wanted to be the object, the desire that kept him alive. Not the remains of a dying man that were bound so tightly to a promise he would have to die twice, and one at a very old age.

Archie let out a long sigh and Atlanta knew him well enough to know that meant he'd come to a decision. She wanted to blurt out something motivating and life-changing that would open his eyes and make him see the truth, but her tongue was dry and she didn't know anything smart beyond 'I'm selfish and heartless and I want you all to my greedy own self'. His own face told her he was having the same difficulties. The words had died in his throat but she knew what he was saying from the pained look he gave her.

He meant to say _'Turn around and leave, Atlanta. There will never be a you and I, an us. There is nothing between us, nothing for you to hold on to. I've left romance behind. You have no chance. Go back and comfort Theresa.'_

But he wanted to say _'Don't leave me alone. I need you; I want you by my side. We'll get through this together, just like we both want.'_

No words followed. They stared into each others' eyes and Atlanta tried to show her adoration for him in her own eyes, but they only started tearing up the slightest amount. Then there was the slightest scuff in the hall behind her and Atlanta felt Odie's cool gaze on her back and Archie broke away from her eyes.

"I'm going to talk to Jay," he said quietly, which meant _go away, _please, "see you later," _it won't happen Atlanta._

Archie turned and headed down the hall, and even in the wrinkled worn and slept-in clothes he was wearing with his hair disheveled and dirt and dried blood on his skin, Atlanta felt he was the strongest person she had ever known as he walked away from her. And that thought almost had her running after him, ready to be the weeping woman if that would make him stay.

"Atlanta," Odie said in a soft, warning voice, "we've talked about this already." And without another word he walked past her and headed down another hall that led the way to Hermes.

Atlanta's shoulders drooped and she meant to go back to the others, but her feet wouldn't move so she just stood in that spot waiting for someone to come and get her.

00oo00oo

Archie practically kicked down the doors to Chiron's study. Jay was _so_ out of line for shouting at Theresa, for making her cry like that. He was trying to come up with rage, seething, boiling rage to block out the thoughts of Atlanta, of what he'd just done to her.

"What Did You Say To Her?" he shouted as he marched into the room. Jay moaned on his bed, turning his face away from the intrusion of light. Chiron had a few candles on his desk lit, but those had been the only dim light source.

"Archie? Are you _alright_?" Chiron asked. He moved with such a spring to meet Archie before Archie got to Jay, Archie wondered what was wrong. Chiron was looking at him quizzically, unsure of something.

_Oh_, Archie realized, _emotion. _He'd forgotten he was still Pretending. His face and voice were emotion_less_. He still looked insane, and almost felt it.

He forced a grin, " 'Course I am, Chiron."

Chiron didn't look quite convinced, "Are you sure you don't need to sit down?" _Are you actually in control of yourself or should you be strapped down for a little longer?_

Archie let the grin fall, Chiron wasn't buying his act like the others had, "I'm not going to hurt him, I promise. I just need to talk."

Chiron glanced at the distance between the two of them and Jay's shivering form, huffed, and stepped aside. Archie walked slowly to Jay's side, forcing the urge to hurt Jay away.

"Jay," he said in a light whisper as he crouched at his Leader's side, "Jay, listen to me. What did you say to Theresa, Jay? You really hurt her. You _hurt_ Theresa, Jay. She's crying. And if you weren't already half dead, Jay, the guys and I would probably be sending you to see Chiron ourselves. Do you understand me Jay?"

Jay moaned pitifully as he turned his head to look at Archie, "I know you," he said in a hoarse voice, "you've tried to kill me."

His fists tightened in reflex. Archie knew he should have felt angry that Jay was not answering him. Anger still wouldn't come. He knew for a fact his body language was giving away his emptiness. They would chain him up again. Archie hated being tied down. He wanted to cut that vacant look right off Jay's face- maybe take the other half off instead.

Archie licked his lips and glanced at Chiron, the centaur was still nearby and ready to intervene in a moment's notice, "Do. You. Understand. What. I. Said?" he said, pronouncing each other slowly.

Jay smiled weakly at him, "Are you going to kill me now? Make the pain go away?"

Archie narrowed his eyes at Jay. Their leader was completely doped up on medication and had no clue of what he was talking about. There was no point in talking to Jay. He was babbling nonsense. Before Chiron could stop him to make him sit down for a while, Archie turned and strode out of the room, throwing the doors open wide with no regard for the way Jay whimpered at the light.

"Ares!" Archie shouted as he moved down the hall. The god materialized to his left and Archie spun to face him.

"Fight me! Make me angry, Ares, make me hurt! Make me _Feel_ something!"

00oo00oo

Theresa had stopped crying, but Herry and Neil wouldn't leave her side. The three of them were perched precariously on her cot and Herry was stroking her hair softly. Theresa was falling asleep, lulled along by Neil humming a soft tune and wrapping a blanket over her shoulders while he rubbed her back. She wondered when he'd gotten so good at taking care of someone.

She hardly noticed the door open until Persephone's slim, cold fingers brushed the hair off her face. Theresa blinked her eyes open.

"It's alright, dear. You can rest. You've had a very exhausting return. Sleep now," Persephone whispered soothingly. She said something to Herry and Neil and dismissed them and Theresa willingly lay down again. She was so tired and her head was pounding and she felt ugly and heavy from crying so hard. It was easy to pass into a deep, dreamless sleep. What else could one call a sleep that awakened one to her most frightening nightmares?

00oo00oo

Athena was waiting for Herry and Neil outside the doors.

"Wha's up?" Herry asked. Usually he and Neil were only wanted for extra things, like manicures with Aphrodite or to help Hephaestus in his forge.

Athena did not smile at his friendly tone, she was dead serious, "Representatives of the… 'Rebellion' are here to see you. We need you two," she stared them both down as if to enforce the severity of her words, "to speak with them and keep them calm. Under no circumstances are you allowed to reveal Jay's condition or anything that happened today," that meant not to speak about Archie either, "now come along, the longer they wait the fussier they'll be."

Herry and Neil followed along after her.

"What about Theresa? Or Odie? They should be the ones speaking right now, even Archie and Atlanta are better at talking to these guys then we are," Herry remarked to Athena.

"Theresa's had a long, rough day and hasn't been here for the past two weeks and right now she needs to rest to be back in her prime, physique- as well as mental wellness. Odie is off somewhere probably on errand for Hermes, but we'll find him and he will be joining you later- as well as Atlanta, once they have both been located. Archie… Archie is currently preoccupied," Athena was quick, brisk and to the point, "you two are the only ones we have readily available to speak with the messengers."

"Oh," Herry and Neil echoed.

00oo00oo

Jay's groaned loudly as he woke up and the pain returned. It was dulled by Chiron's painkillers and so instead of being sharp and skull-splitting, no pun intended, the sword was softened and instead like a hammer continuously pounding away at his entire body.

He could hardly think. So much pain. Instead of searing his body white hot it slowly burned, like an oven and he wanted to run away form the pain and the heat. He wanted to _move_ but the drugs in his body weighed his body down.

How long had he been out? How many days had melted away while he lay in pain? How long had his team been without a leader? He couldn't think. Only blurs of memories, brief images of faces twisted out of recognition.

The nightmares returned. The evil thoughts. How long had he been asleep? Had it been so long that his team had been unable to function? Had someone been hurt without his guidance? Or worse yet- had they replaced him?

He was no longer of use.

It wasn't impossible to believe. He had no skills of any use on the team. All he was good for was leading them, because for some reason they would follow his orders and respected him even though they were all so superior to him. How could he have let them down? He couldn't lead like this. The pain. The pain. He had to get to his feet. He was useless just laying around. He could push through the pain. He had to. Jay wasn't useless. Jay was the leader. It was all he had. It was all he was.

"Jay? Are you awake- oh no! Sit down, Jay," Chiron shouted in alarm somewhere in the distance, "you're far from well enough to be getting up! Lay down!"

Oh god it hurt so much. Jay clenched his teeth but he pushed himself further. Just sitting up had left him light-headed. The pain. The pain.

"Jay, sit down, please!" Chiron was beside him now, urgently trying to care for his patient.

"No, Chiron," Jay snapped. He hadn't meant to be harsh but speaking was so difficult, "I'm getting up. I am the Leader."

"What you need is rest Jay!"

"I am the **Leader** and my team needs me. I'll survive Chiron. My team needs me."

He was on his feet. He wanted to die. So much pain. He couldn't think about it. His legs were numb. Pain. He was disoriented. Depth and colors didn't match in his only eye. He didn't want to think about what the bandages covered. Monstrous. That's what he was now. A monstrous leader. But he was still a leader. Still a leader.

"What's going on right now? Where is everyone?"

"W-well I'm sure they are all _resting_-"

"Nothing ever rests here. Something is happening or they would all be here right now. Where is **my** team, Chiron?"

Chiron sighed dejectedly, "If I tell you, then you must return to bed Jay. You cannot strain yourself right now. But if you must know there are representatives from the Rebellion here."

Jay straightened automatically and his head swirled and he wanted to vomit, "When?! How long have they been here? Who is speaking to them?" No good. No one else on the team knew how to properly deal with the Rebellion. Jay had been working for months, trying to placate the Rebellion and keep them from truly rebelling against the gods and the heroes themselves. One wrong word, one slip of the tongue could destroy everything.

"I do not know Jay, only an hour or so, but it is not you worry, you must _rest_!"

They needed him. His team needed him. The world needed him. He didn't have time to cry or feel the pain of his injury. If he stopped he would have time to think to reflect. Now was the time to act. It hurt so much. The burdens were so heavy. He wanted to break. He was tired. So much pain. He walked forwards. The room swirled around him.

"I can rest when I'm dead."

* * *

Because I don't know if I'm going to have a chance to properly explain this in the next chapter, I'm going to explain the Rebellion you guys right here:

We all know that in this battle we have Cronus on one side and the seven 'Teeroes' and that the kiddos are predicted to defeat him. But we have a problem here, they _haven't_ so far, and it's been a year or two of them fighting Cronus and no signs of winning. So many of the magical 'underlings' of the gods are getting upset that they have to live in fear of Cronus when he should be defeated by the seven children as predicted. So they've decided that the kids just aren't going to be good enough and are forming a force of their own to fight Cronus, the Rebellion, but they're not just fighting Cronus- they're also rebelling against the gods as well because they feel like the gods are taking care of incompetent, worthless mortals who can't seem to do just one thing.

That's the Rebellion. They just want to be rid of any forms of government, monarchies or tyrants or prophesies and want to get rid of the 'old ways'.

I hope that helps with they way everyone's been talking about them in this chapter, hahaha.

-Demenior


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